


In a Heartbeat

by ChibiDawn23



Series: Legendary Legacy [1]
Category: Power Rangers, Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-28
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:48:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 33
Words: 79,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23353471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChibiDawn23/pseuds/ChibiDawn23
Summary: It's amazing how fast life can change. Follow Carter and Dana and Ryan in life after Lightspeed. Cavity-inducing fluffiness, some drama, some Ranger-ing, and the rest of the Lightspeed Team inside.
Relationships: Angela Fairweather/Joel Rawlings, Carter Grayson & Dana Mitchell, Chad Lee/Original Female Character(s), Ryan Mitchell/Kelsey Winslow
Series: Legendary Legacy [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1679692
Comments: 4
Kudos: 11





	1. Un-Retired Rangers

"Hey! You forgot these!"

Carter Grayson briefly considered turning around at Captain Bill Mitchell's voice. After all, they didn't know for sure what kind of emergency lay ahead of them if they followed the fire truck from Mariner Bay Engine 7. The practically-indestructible material of a Lightspeed ranger suit might come in handy. Especially if this was a fire and not a car accident or medical emergency. _Or_ …Carter thought darkly, _if somehow one of the dark creatures from the Shadow World had managed to sneak back out._

But if lives were at stake…there was no other course of action. So, morpher or no morpher, Carter kept running. He heard the footfalls of Dana Mitchell's heels and her brother Ryan's black boots hot on his heels, caught the flashes of Kelsey Winslow's and Chad Lee's jackets and heard their sneakers. Then, he heard a pair of cowboy boots and silently applauded Joel Rawlings for joining them. They worked best as a team, and Carter didn't want to face whatever was ahead without the people who'd protected the city and saved his life more times than he could count in the past year.

More sirens echoed up ahead, and Carter began to realize that whatever was up ahead was no mere traffic accident. When the six young people arrived at the scene, Carter was more than thankful that his team was along for the ride.

Engine 7 from Mariner Bay Fire Department had pulled up next to a small warehouse near the pier. Carter knew this place was a storage hub for a nationwide manufacturer of boat parts- outboard motors, rigging, sails, fiberglass, radios…plenty of things that required fuel, electricity and power, and plenty of things that could easily start and sustain a fire. Flames licked the skylights on the upper floor and smoke poured from any vent it could find, erupting into the blue sky and turning the area a hazy gray.

"Whoa," he heard Kelsey breathe behind him. "Whoa" was an understatement. Engine 7 was joined by a truck from Ladder 4, Carter's old unit. Two ambulances arrived with MARINER BAY AMBULANCE emblazoned on their sides in teal lettering. Dana recognized a few old co-workers from her time as paramedic as they jumped out of the ambulances, anxiously awaiting orders.

Carter looked around for the person in charge of the blaze, the incident commander. He spotted Captain John Olliver rattling off instructions to the crew of Engine 7. This was the guy to talk to. "John!" Carter called, and John Olliver glanced his way. John was a thirty-year veteran of the Mariner Bay Fire Department. Carter threaded his way through the crowd of people and stepped up to the silver-haired man in a pair of jeans and a black jacket with MBFD stitched on the back. "Grayson," Olliver greeted him. "Day off?" he asked pointedly, well aware of Carter's other identity as the Lightspeed Rescue Red Ranger. Their identities were public knowledge, and his orange and black jacket was a dead giveaway.

"Just retired," Carter replied. "How can we help?" John glanced back to see five young people anxiously standing ten feet away.

John remembered Carter from his days at Ladder 4 before his temporary reassignment to Bill Mitchell's Project Lightspeed. He was a good firefighter. Now, he looked at Carter's blue jeans and work boots and rescue jacket.

"How long since you've been on a fire?" Olliver asked.

"About a year," Carter replied honestly. "In gear that wasn't a Lightspeed suit anyway."

"And your…friends?"

"Less than that," Carter said, not liking the line of questioning. "But they're trained-"

"To enter a burning building?" Olliver interrupted. "Grayson, I can use you," he said, and then, looking over his shoulder, spotting a familiar blonde haired woman, "and Mitchell," he added, pointing at Dana and jerking a thumb at her to join the conversation. He had known Bill Mitchell's daughter since she was small and also knew her as Lightspeed Rescue Pink and a damned good paramedic. "The rest of your team is gonna have to go stand behind the line," he said as Dana came up to join them. John looked even less impressed with her gray skirt and pink blouse and heels.

Dana's eyes narrowed as she caught him looking her up and down, and looked up at Carter questioningly. Carter looked at Olliver. "Put the rest of my team to work, sir," Carter told him, an order-not a request. He wasn't going in there without them. In fact, Carter was already shrugging off his Lightspeed jacket and rolling up his sleeves.

"They've had first responder training, sir," Dana told Olliver. "We can use them." She heard a yell, saw a couple of firefighters already bringing people out of the building. She turned to Ryan and Joel. "Ryan, Joel, handle crowd control."

Ryan clapped Joel on the back and nodded to his sister. The two men headed toward the gathering crowd of people. Joel gravitated toward the media, who were already trying to get past the line and hassling the two cops assigned to keep people out of the area. Joel was familiar with most of them as many of them covered the air shows where he performed as the Sky Cowboy. Ryan jogged over to two other Mariner Bay police officers who were standing near a crowd of civilians- friends, family members and ambulance chasers. She saw him gravitate toward a little boy who couldn't have been more than six, patting him on the back, no doubt reassuring him that whatever relative he had inside the building was going to be fine.

Olliver sighed, realizing it was all of them or none. And with some of the fire crews at training or handling smaller blazes elsewhere in the city, they really needed the help. "You two-" he pointed to Kelsey and Chad- "talk to Smith over at Ladder 4, see if he can put you to work."

"Tell them Carter said put you to work," Carter cut in, and his former Blue and Yellow Rangers nodded. Happy to be doing anything, Kelsey and Chad soon found themselves with smaller buckets and hoses watering down the grass and bushes nearby in an effort to keep the fire from spreading-just in case. Dana glanced at Carter. She was so used to taking orders from him that it felt a little strange to be delegating the team. Carter only smiled reassuringly-he was fine with it.

Carter set his Lightspeed jacket on the truck step and pulled on pants, a jacket and a helmet. He grabbed an SCBA rig as well and slung it over his back. He looked over at Dana and flashed her a thumbs-up. Dana nodded, mouthing _Be careful_ as he turned and headed into the building. Kelsey had always teased her about being the most empathetic on their team, and while Dana would deny it, as the team's medic in the field, she was very concerned with the health and well-being of her team. Watching Carter going in there, knowing he didn't have a morpher or access to his ranger suit, worried her. She had to remind herself that Carter had been a firefighter for four years before joining Lightspeed at 22. Still….she worried.

* * *

The situation report that Olliver had given Carter was that there were some workers on the second floor that had been near the source of the blaze, which was still under investigation. Nobody coming out seemed to know how it happened and the flames needed to be put out first before the investigators could get in to look at it. Five employees were still unaccounted for. Carter made his way into the building and up the fire escape stairwell to the second floor. He caught a glimpse of a ladder through one of the skylights and the smoke, and broke a window on the upper floor so they could get a hose and extra guys in faster. It was hot- _wow, was it hot_. Carter hadn't been in a real fire in almost a year. It felt different to not be protected by the ranger suit. _Remember you've done this before_ , Carter reminded himself. It was just taking a little bit of getting used to was all. He opened up his O2 valve a little more and fresh oxygen filled his mask. He saw a figure hop off the ladder and come into the room, angling toward him through the smoke. Carter recognized him as Zach Anderson, a guy he'd worked with at Ladder 4 before Lightspeed. Zach was easy to spot-he had a bright yellow patch on his jacket of a smiling ball of flame. He tapped Carter on the shoulder in recognition. Carter was sure Zach was smiling if he'd been able to see his face. He pointed right, and Carter followed him.

They'd taken about two steps when Carter felt the floor start to give. He shoved Zach to the side as the floor collapsed beneath their feet, and flames and smoke from below rushed for the exit.

* * *

Outside, Dana helped load a stretcher into an ambulance. As the paramedics jumped in behind them, Dana slammed the doors shut and pounded on the bumper, hard. Two quick taps, and the ambulance came to life, sirens and lights, and sped out of the area toward Mariner Bay General. She had a moment to breathe, and then she was meeting a firefighter on the ground that had just brought another man from the building. She could do the visual assessment easily-smoke inhalation, eyes raw from tearing up from the smoke… "Take him to Wilson and Grant," she told the firefighter, pointing to the second ambulance and its crew. "And get him some water!"

"On it!" Ryan yelled at her, grabbing a water bottle handed to him from a jogger that had stopped and tossing it to her. _The hospital was going to be busy,_ Dana thought. Dana looked back at the building. By her count, and John Olliver's, there were two people still unaccounted for. Both had been assigned to work the top floor.

Something made Dana turn back to the building, and she heard one of the guys from Ladder 4 yell, "Get down!" and slide down a few rungs of the ladder, as a giant plume of smoke and flame exploded from the window. The heat wave rumbled down the building, singing the hair on Dana's arms.

She heard Olliver yelling for people to back up, but she found herself gravitating closer to the building. _Carter is still in there…._ "Carter!" she yelled, knowing it was useless-there was no way he'd hear her over the roar of the flames, the sirens, the shouting voices... _He has to be okay. Please let him be okay_...

At her voice, Ryan, Joel, Kelsey and Chad all turned and stared, frozen, at the warehouse.

* * *

Inside the building, Carter rolled off of Zach Anderson with a groan. He turned his head, saw a giant, gaping hole where his feet had just been. _Wow. That was close. Dana would've killed me if I'd have fallen through there._

The realization hit him that he could've died. A whole year as a ranger and he'd survived falling through a gateway to the Shadow World only to die falling through a hole in a warehouse. Her face flashed in his mind, and he realized that if he'd fallen through that hole he hadn't said goodbye...hadn't ever told her.… his thought trailed off as his eyes caught a body lying on the other side of the gaping hole.

_Back to action._

He smacked Zach twice on the chest, and Zach got on his elbow and looked over to see the person Carter was pointing at. Then he nodded, and stood up. Carter got to his feet, and almost fell again. Zach looked at him questioningly and Carter pointed to his left foot. He had had enough injuries during his year in Lightspeed that diagnosing a sprained ankle was no problem. Zach put an arm around his waist and the two of them limped around the hole to the body. As they approached the body, it moved. The unconscious man was awake. Zach helped him to his feet as Carter waited. Zach tugged off his mask. "Can you walk?" he yelled over the roar of the flame.

"Yeah, I'm OK," the man responded, coughing.

"Good, I need your help," Zach said. "I gotta get my buddy downstairs."

"Yeah, okay," the employee responded, and put one of Carter's arms around his shoulders.

* * *

A minute passed. No one came out of the building. The Lightspeed team had sort of forgotten their assigned duties and were all huddled together, watching the main entrance for any sign of their leader and friend.

Two minutes. Ladder 4 and Engine 7's hoses were trained through the windows and upper floors, and Ryan Mitchell was starting to notice more smoke instead of flame. The fire was almost out.

Five minutes. Nobody had exited the building yet, and now, the fire was nearly out.

"You don't think-" Chad said, and Joel hit him in the arm to squash the thought. Ryan put an arm around his sister and squeezed. He could feel her shivering even though it was 90 degrees. He felt Kelsey grab his sister's hand and squeeze it.

Eight minutes. Then, signs of life.

Two figures burst through the doors, a firefighter and a man in stained jeans and a blue polo, with a firefighter between them. They met two paramedics and lifted the firefighter they'd carried out onto the stretcher. The first firefighter removed his helmet, and Dana was already running when she realized it wasn't Carter under the helmet. _Which means…_ She caught up to the stretcher. Carter's gray eyes stared up at her, his face dark with soot and ash and sweat. He coughed. "Hey," he managed, as Dana jogged alongside them.

"Hey yourself," she replied, putting on a brave front. "What'd he do?" she asked the paramedic.

"Don't know for sure, but his buddy tells us a sprained ankle."

"Definitely sprained," Carter corrected him, and went into a coughing fit.

Dana shook her head. "What'd you do that for?" she asked him.

"Sympathy points," Carter replied. "Does it get you to go out with me?"

Dana blinked. "Excuse me?" she asked.

"Well, I was kinda laying there," Carter said, "and I was thinking that if I died…it'd be a damn shame we never got to go out." He closed his eyes. "And then Zach Anderson had to go be a hero and haul me outta there and so…" he looked at her. "So would you? Go out with me?"

Dana choked out a laugh. "Carter…you have horrible timing."

"I'll work on it," he promised. "So….." he prompted as they lifted him into the ambulance. He coughed again. "Whaddya say?"

Dana looked at him, and then realized that not only was _he_ waiting on an answer, but the paramedics and the Lightspeed team had heard the exchange, and all were staring at her. She blushed. "I…..I….no. No, I can't." And with that, she closed the ambulance doors and hit the bumper. She turned, to see the Lightspeed team staring still, slackjawed. Kelsey opened her mouth to say something, but Dana brushed past them and took off running.


	2. Missed Moments

Ryan Mitchell followed his sister until she stopped running near the beach. He watched her toss her heels on a bench and collapse onto the seat, burying her face in her hands. Ryan jogged up to her and sat down next to her. She looked up with a start, and Ryan saw tears in her eyes.

"Dana, what the _hell_ was that?" Ryan demanded of her. He pointed back toward the white smoke that was slowly dissipating in the breeze. "The guy's on his way to the hospital and he asks you out and you tell him _no_?" He paused. "I'm not sure if I'm supposed to approve of you dating him or not. This wasn't a problem in the Shadow World. There was no dating. There was…well, there wasn't even really like, much of anything."

He saw his sister's mouth curl up on the side, and he let out a breath. "Seriously, Dana," he said. "What's up? We all know you like him…why'd you say no?"

Dana stared out at the ocean for a moment, then she said, "Because, Ryan, he asked me out as he was laying on a stretcher headed to a hospital after having to be hauled out of a burning building!"

 _Oh_. "Okay," he deduced. "Bad timing." Even with twelve years in the Shadow World, he could figure that one out-even _Vypra_ flew off the handle if things didn't go _just so_.

"Ya think?" Dana groused.

Ryan ignored her attitude. "Well, he'll just have to try again so you can say yes," he decided.

"What makes you think I'll say yes?" Dana asked hotly. She glared at her brother. Ryan's dark eyes stared back at her until she finally turned her head and smiled. "Fine, you're right," she admitted. "I like him."

"About time you admit it," he said. "We're all takin' bets on when you guys'll get together." At Dana's look, his eyes widened. "Whoops."

She slugged him. "You gotta work on your tact, little brother."

Ryan grinned. "Sorry, sorry!" he said. He turned to face the beach. After a moment he sighed. "I've got a lot to learn I never realized. All this...human stuff."

"We've got plenty of time to teach you," Dana said.

Ryan sighed. "It's weird," he said finally. "You guys all have regular jobs," he said. "Carter's a firefighter, you're an EMT, Joel flies, Kelsey's got her extreme sports thing, Chad's got the whales and stuff…I don't know what I'm gonna do." He looked at Dana. "I'm not a ranger anymore, Dana, and now I don't know who I am or what I'm gonna be."

"You've got time to figure it out," Dana told him. She stood up. "And we're gonna start right now. I think we kind of left Dad hanging. Let's go see if he wants to go out for dinner." She pulled Ryan to his feet and straightened his black button down. "Food is an easy thing to start with. You'll remember in a hurry what you like and don't like." She put a hand on his back and led him toward the street. "What _did_ they feed you in the Shadow World?" she asked him.

Ryan ducked his head. "You _don't_ want to know," he admitted. "Just trust me, anything from the Aquabase cafeteria was five-star compared to it." He frowned. "Except the tunafish. That stuff was scary."

Dana laughed, and Ryan smiled, but there was a nagging feeling in the back of his mind. This was weird to him. He'd spent twelve years of his life learning to hate his sister and his father. Now he was laughing and teasing his sister about a guy. Even if he wasn't sure if he was supposed to be happy for her or discourage it. It was confusing. _A lot of things are confusing_. He didn't want to talk about anything that had to do with his life under Diabolico, but he wasn't upset that his sister had asked him. It was a mental challenge, and right now, it was giving him a headache. So he put on a brave front and followed his sister out to the street, where Dana called a cab. The siblings rode in silence until they arrived at Bill Mitchell's home.

* * *

Emotion barreled at him in waves as he stared at the house. This was the first time he'd been back to it in twelve years. As Titanium Ranger, he'd been at the Aquabase, and then he'd been a nomad. Seeing his childhood home…he tensed.

 _Stupid_ , he chided himself. _It's just a house. Of all the things in your life you've seen to be afraid of..._

"Ry?" Dana called, a few steps ahead of him. "You coming?"

He blinked. "Yeah, sorry." He jogged the rest of the way up the sidewalk to meet her. Dana was talking, one hand on the doorknob. "Dad made a couple changes to your old room, but otherwise the house looks pretty much the same."

 _Good. It just adds to the creepy factor that my room is still arranged for my eight-year-old self._ Ryan stepped past the doorframe and looked around.

Dana had disappeared somewhere onto the first floor, leaving Ryan in the foyer alone. He tugged off his boots and set them haphazardly off to the side. Then, he looked around.

The walls were white. Mixed in here and there on the walls were pictures. A lot of pictures. Ryan started into the living room, surveying the plain gray rug and black couch and armchair that sat facing a flat screen television hanging above an electric fireplace. On either side of the television on the wall were photos and Ryan wandered across the laminate over to the photos.

 _Seems like a lifetime ago_. He was ashamed to say that he didn't recognize the little kid that he was in the photos. Part of him was a little scared…he didn't even _remember_ the moments in those photos.

One of them was obviously Halloween when he was six or seven. He was dressed as a pirate, Dana as some kind of princess. Their father was in a freaky mask and tattered clothing (no surprise there, Ryan dimly remembered his father was a huge Halloween fan...which seemed odd considering the demons). All three of them were smiling.

The next photo was of Bill and Dana. Dana was in a cap and gown. _High school graduation maybe?_ Dana was wearing a gold sash indicating she'd graduated with honors. He smiled despite himself. _No surprise there._ Then he felt a pang of sadness. _And I missed it_.

Below that was a photo that made him stop. He reached out to touch it, felt drawn to it. In the photo was a smiling woman with blonde hair, sitting on the steps he'd just walked up into the house. And sitting on her lap was a grinning little boy missing his front tooth. He was wearing a plastic fireman's hat.

"Mom?" Ryan whispered. His mother was an even fainter memory.

"That was one of the last photos we have of your mom," his father's voice cut into the memory, making him jump. He jerked, and turned around. His father was leaning in the doorway from the kitchen to the living room, wearing a pair of jeans and a polo shirt. Bill came into the living room a few steps and pointed to the photo. "It's one of my favorites."

"I remember I broke that hat," Ryan said, thinking back. "Fell off of something, I think."

"Out of a tree, actually," Bill corrected him gently. "I seem to recall there was an invisible cat involved."

Ryan smiled. Then he sighed. "I wish I could be that kid again," he said wistfully. "Innocent. Normal."

"What makes you think you were innocent?" his father asked him, his voice light. "As I recall, you and your sister were quite the hellions on occasion."

Ryan winced, and Bill regretted his choice of words. "Maybe now that life has gone back to a slower pace, we can work on that 'normal' thing," he suggested.

Ryan looked at his dad. "Sounds good," he said. "I'd like that."

"What are you-" Dana bounded into the living room, now dressed down in a pair of purple sweatpants and a gray pullover sweatshirt. "Oh. Sorry."

Her brother and father looked at her strangely. "What?" she asked, wrapping her arms around her waist protectively. "Did I spill or something? Is there a hole in an unmentionable place?"

"No," Ryan said. "It's just…" He looked at their father.

"You're not wearing pink," Bill said. "Takes some getting used to."

Dana blushed. "Oh," she said. "Well, I decided to try something different."

"It looks good, sis," Ryan told her honestly. He looked at his own clothes. "Maybe I should look into something other than silver or black." He shrugged. "I don't even know what my favorite color is."

"It used to be green, actually," Bill remembered.

Ryan nodded thoughtfully. "Green," he repeated. "Sure, why not."

"Speaking of green, Dad, I'm pretty sure that whatever leftovers are in your fridge _smell_ like they're _turning_ green," Dana said. "Didn't you ever _leave_ the Aquabase?"

"I'm thinking we're gonna need to get groceries," Bill responded, ignoring the pang in his gut at the mention of his pet project, which was currently lying in pieces at the bottom of the bay.

"We could grab something for Carter," Ryan said. "Since he's probably gonna be laid up a little."

Bill raised his eyebrows questioningly at the mention of Carter's name. "Carter got into a disagreement with a burning building," Ryan said. "Sprained ankle."

"Ah." Bill said. "Well, we could go grab something easy like pizza, and maybe grab a burger for Carter, drop it by his apartment."

"Hospital, actually. Got to ride in an ambulance and everything," Ryan told his father.

"We'll stop by the hospital then," Bill decided. He looked to Dana to see if she minded, but couldn't get a read on his daughter's expression. "Dana?"

"Hm?" Dana blinked and shoved her hands into her sweater pockets. "Oh, yeah. Sounds good." She chuckled. "Any excuse to put off cleaning the fridge!" She brushed past the two men. "I'll drive. Meet you in the garage." She reached for the keys in the fishbowl on the end table and practically ran out the front door.

Bill turned to Ryan. "Do I want to know?" he asked his son.

"Uh, Carter asked her out. While he was laid out on a stretcher on his way to the hospital, after running into a burning building," Ryan said by way of explanation.

Bill rolled his eyes. "Smooth move, Grayson," he groaned. "Oh well, I guess I should be grateful he screwed up." Off Ryan's alarmed look, he added, "I'm her father. I'm not supposed to let her date 'til she's thirty."

"Oh." Ryan followed his dad out to the car. "You know I think Carter'd be okay for her," he said. "I mean, not that I'd know the first thing about a normal relationship."

"Yeah you don't," his father shot back, clapping Ryan on the back and shoving him into the backseat. Still, as Bill climbed into the car and Dana stared straight ahead, he couldn't help but think that maybe his son was right. It had been _painfully_ obvious to everybody on Project Lightspeed's staff that Carter and Dana had a close relationship, and he'd heard more than one whisper that it might not be strictly a professional one. He admired Carter's strength of character, his ability to follow orders and think on his feet, and his compassion for his team and the support team. There really wasn't anybody better for Dana in his mind.

At the same time, as he kept his eyes front and watched the neighborhood go by, the fatherly, jealous part of his mind was saying, _You just got your family back._ And he didn't want to lose them again so quickly.

Not even to a guy like Carter Grayson.


	3. Try, Try Again

The phrase "keep you overnight for observation" was never Carter's favorite to hear. He sat in the hospital room with his ankle wrapped and propped up on the end of the bed, flipping through the channels on the hospital television. It was supper time and so all that was on was news or game shows-scintillating television. He closed his eyes and glanced over at the plastic tray on his table. _Questionable meatloaf and rubber potatoes….delicious_. He sighed. _I'd kill for a burger_. He wondered if he could talk one of the nurses into making a run to Burger King.

 _God_ was he bored!

Joel and Angela Fairweather, his girlfriend, had dropped by earlier. Carter refrained from rolling his eyes when Joel flirted with every nurse who came by the door, and who totally missed the death glares he was getting from Angela. They'd left about ten minutes ago, Angela practically pulling Joel out the door with the reminder that they had a date planned before Joel had gone on the warehouse fire with his friends.

 _Wonder if they found the cause of the fire yet._ Carter closed his eyes, picturing the scene. If there had been an explosion, things would've been lying in a radius from the point or origin. He didn't remember seeing anything, and wondered if someone had reported hearing anything before the fire broke out.

He was glad he wasn't Keith Tyler, the lead arson investigator. Keith would have his work cut out for him. _But at least thinking about the fire keeps me from wanting to climb the walls..._

He opened one eye as a nurse came in to check on his foot. He kept his breathing steady so she'd think he was resting. He watched her under his eyelid as she made a note on his chart and put it in the plastic bin at the foot of the bed. Then, she left the room, and Carter opened his eyes with a sigh. There was only one nurse he wanted to see, and he was pretty sure Dana Mitchell thought he was the biggest goof on the planet. Joel had felt the need to point that same issue out when he'd been in earlier.

" _Dude, you don't ask a girl out when you're on your way to the hospital. Have I taught you nothing?" Joel rolled his eyes, shaking his head in disbelief. "You make great decisions when it's life or death, man, but your timing really sucked on this one."_

" _Thanks, Joel," Carter had groaned, shifting on the bed. "Needed that reminder."_

Then again, he wasn't entirely sure that taking dating advice from Joel was a good idea anyway. Still...Dana's face flitttered across his memory. She'd looked surprised, no, shocked…. _more like disappointed_ , Carter thought to himself. And he couldn't blame her.

When he was out and on his feet, he'd ask her out again, but this time, properly.

"Hey. Were you sleeping?"

Carter jerked and looked in the doorway to see Ryan Mitchell leaning against the doorjamb, hands in his blue jeans pockets. "Hey. Nah, come on in." Ryan stepped into the room, and Carter's heart skipped a couple beats in panic as he realized that Bill Mitchell _and Dana_ were right behind Ryan.

"How you feeling?" Bill asked him. Carter had only ever seen his superior out of uniform one other time, and it felt weird to him that the crisp and polished Project Lightspeed director and the relaxed man in front of him were one and the same.

"Um," Carter processed the question, "bored." He pointed at the TV. "Officially hit the 'Boring Block'."

"Yeah, sounds about right." Bill lifted up the tray on Carter's table with the unfinished meal and set it back down again. "This looks horrible."

"I think when they set down the tray the potatoes jiggled," Carter said. "I was gonna catch the next nurse who came in and pay her to make a Burger King run."

"Lucky you," Ryan replied with a knowing grin at his sister. "Got ya covered." He turned to Dana, who was staring blankly at the TV. "Hey, Dana." Ryan hit her with the back of his hand, and she blinked, turning to her little brother.

"What? Oh." She handed the brown bag to Ryan, who handed it to Carter.

"You guys are amazing," Carter praised, pulling out a double cheeseburger and fries. "Lifesavers. You have no idea." He unwrapped the sandwich and happily took a bite. "You're pretty much my new favorite people."

"We know," Ryan said, and Carter didn't miss the glance he shot his older sister. He looked at Dana. "So….did everybody make it off the fire okay?"

Dana looked at him, and an uncomfortable silence filled the room. "Yeah," she said, after a moment. "Last ambulance went right after you. Chad and Kelsey went to the beach after it was over-Chad said something about needing to get in the water, and Kelsey had adrenaline to burn off." She shook her head. "Cause, you know Kelsey, a fire is just the warmup to a surf session."

Carter chuckled. "I'm surprised she didn't go into the fire on her skates just to add difficulty."

"She probably would have if she'd brought them," Dana affirmed. She shrugged. "Anyway, and then Angela and Joel took off, and well, we didn't have any food in the fridge so…." She looked at him. "So here we are."

Carter nodded. "Yeah," he said. "Here you are," he said quietly.

There was a few moments of awkward silence. Carter pushed himself up on the bed and adjusted his foot. "Well, thanks for the food. They're saying I can leave in the morning. I'm hoping I can make this burger last 'til breakfast, or at least the fries."

Bill smiled. "Well, we're hoping you're back on your feet soon," he said. He clapped Carter on the shoulder. "Try to stay out of trouble."

"Hey, I can't help it. Trouble just seems to find me," Carter shrugged. "But I'll try, sir."

"Carter, I think you better start calling me Bill," Bill said. "I'm not your superior anymore."

" _That_ will take some getting used to," Carter admitted. He looked at Ryan. "What're you gonna do now?" he asked the younger man.

Ryan shrugged. "Find a hobby," he said.

"Sounds dangerous," Carter teased him, and Ryan grinned. Then, Carter turned to Dana. "Thanks for coming by," he told her.

She nodded, rocking on her heels. "Feel better," she told him. She pointed to his foot. "You might want to get some more ice for that."

"Always taking care of me," Carter said, holding her gaze. "Thanks."

Dana offered him a half smile. Ryan put an arm around her. "Okay, now that we've fed him, time to go feed us," Ryan said. He nodded at Carter. "See ya later."

"Yeah," Carter said. "See ya." Bill offered him a wave as he followed Ryan and Dana out into the hall. Carter waited a moment or two. He picked up a fry and twirled it in his fingers. _Yeah Grayson, that went_ real _well, didn't it._ He leaned back in the hospital bed and closed his eyes in frustration.

* * *

"That was smooth, Dana," Ryan told his sister as they were clearing the plates off the table after supper. He tossed his black button down over one of the chairs and dropped three plates in the sink. "Somehow I don't foresee Carter asking you out again in the near future." He shook his head.

"Ryan, when I want your advice on my love life, I'll ask for it," Dana snapped back, dropping a fork in the soapy water with a splash. Soap bubbles splashed onto the window. "Until then, shut up." The truth was, she felt bad enough the way it was. She actually wouldn't mind going out with Carter Grayson, in fact, had he asked her any other time that right after she thought he'd almost _died_ , she would've said yes. But she was too scared, too worried, too concerned and high on adrenaline.

"I don't get what the problem is," Ryan rationalized. "You like him, he likes you, you want to go out with him and he asked you out. So his timing wasn't great but you didn't have to treat him like an untouchable. I don't know what was goin' through your head."

"You're right, Ryan, you don't." Dana whipped around so she was facing him. "You don't know that I couldn't properly form a sentence when he asked me because I was having horrible scenes of what _could_ have happened if Zach and that warehouse employee hadn't pulled him out. You don't know that the second he spoke I lost all conscious thought because I had spend the last ten minutes thinking I was gonna lose him, and that I _couldn't_ lose him because I care a lot for him and then when he was laying there joking around I just got _mad_ at him for making me worry and when he asked me out all I could think was the he was a _jerk_ for putting me through hell and I didn't want anything to do with him!" She threw her dishrag onto the counter and glared at her brother. Seconds later, she sagged, the fight gone, and tears welled in her eyes. "And then that whole time at the hospital all I could do was feel _horrible_ for how I'd treated him."

Ryan absorbed the tirade, and then pulled his sister into a tight hug. "You know, visiting hours aren't over til 9," he said. "You could still go talk to him."

She sniffled into his gray tanktop. "You're pushy, you know that, little brother?"

Ryan gently pushed her back away from him. "Yeah. But you love me anyway," he replied. He grinned. "I got the dishes. Get going."

"Everything okay down there?" Bill Mitchell poked his head over the railing as Dana passed him, pulling on her jacket.

"Fine, Dad," Dana replied with a smile. "Just fine."

* * *

"Come on, Doc, I've been here for five hours and nothing's happened," Carter was protesting to his lead doctor. "Clear me. I won't walk home, I swear. I'll call a friend to pick me up."

"Until we're 100% sure that you're not suffering long term effects from the smoke and the fall, you're stuck here, Mr. Grayson," Dr. Lance told him exasperatedly.

"I could check out AMA," Carter threatened him. He was sick of doing nothing. He could do nothing on his own couch.

"You could," a new voice said, "but then I'd look pretty stupid standing here looking for you." Carter frowned when Dana stepped into the room. She smiled at Dr. Lance. "Take a break, Doc, I'll handle this one."

Lance nodded. "You do that," he said. "He tries to get past you…do you remember any of your…ranger moves?"

Dana grinned. "That doesn't go away when you take the suit off, Dr. Lance." She looked at Carter smugly. "Besides, I know how to handle him."

Carter stared at her, inwardly cursing the very _naughty_ thoughts and remark that had come with that phrasing. He hoped she couldn't see it, but he felt the back of his neck get hot. The doctor left, leaving the two of them alone.

"You need to quit giving them a hard time," Dana said. "They're just doing their job."

"I wasn't aware you cared," Carter shot back, and instantly regretted it.

Dana bit her lip, taking the barb in stride. "I deserved that," she said. "I'm sorry. About earlier."

"Which part?" Carter asked her, crossing his arms over his chest. It was hard to look defiant and indifferent in a hospital gown and an Ace bandage, but damned if he didn't try. "The part where you turned me down in front of a bunch of people, or the part where you ignored me when you came by later?"

Dana remembered her rant at her brother earlier, and wondered if she was going to have to give a repeat performance. She ran a hand through her blonde hair and sighed. _He deserves to know the truth_ , she thought to herself, and so she told him. _Everything_.

Carter had been prepared to argue with her. He wasn't prepared for when Dana broke down in tears in front of him, apologizing profusely, cursing his horrible timing, yelling at him for almost dying but not dying… He pushed himself off the bed and limped over to her and wrapped her in a hug. "I'm sorry, Dana, I'm so sorry," he told her, cupping her chin with one hand and tilting her head so she was looking at him. "I didn't mean to scare you. I didn't mean to worry you."

"I know," Dana replied, burying her face in his shirt. "I didn't mean to make you think I hated you. I didn't mean to embarrass you in front of Chad and Joel and Kelsey and everybody."

Carter rested his chin on her head and held her for a moment silently. Then he said, "So…if I were to ask you again…"

Dana put her hands on his shoulders and looked up at him. "I'd definitely say yes," she told him honestly.

"Then, Dana Mitchell," Carter began, looking down at her, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "Do you want to go to dinner with me sometime?"

Dana swiped at her eyes. "Yes, I would," she replied. Carter grinned and pulled her into another hug.


	4. First "Dates"

The phone rang far too early for Ryan Mitchell's liking. His cell vibrated on his nightstand, killing any hope of him going back to sleep. He rolled over and fumbled blindly for the phone, his hands finally closing over it and miraculously hitting the SEND button. "Hello?" he asked sleepily.

"Sorry!" the voice of Kelsey Winslow apologized. "I forget that normal people sleep in on Saturdays."

Ryan flipped over onto his back. "Hi Kelsey," he said sleepily. "No worries…guess I should be getting up anyway." He stared at the ceiling. "What's up?"

Kelsey sounded like she was running. "Well, Chad was gonna come for a run with me this morning, but I guess he overslept or something and so now I'm kinda running past your place and I thought I'd see if you wanted to come with me."

Ryan closed his eyes. "Sure, why not."

"Really? Awesome! 'Cause…I'm kinda already outside your house…"

Ryan's eyes snapped open and he stood up and padded across the carpet. Down in at the bottom of the driveway, Kelsey waved, one hand on her phone.

"Give me five minutes," Ryan said. Then he sighed. "Well, make it more like ten."

"I'll wait," Kelsey replied. "See you soon!"

Ryan hung up and flopped back down on his bed, looking around the room. Then he got up and fumbled for his clothes and went to change in the bathroom. His room still creeped him out, but he would rather sleep in a bed than on the couch-he didn't want his father to know. _At least the creepy room beats the boulder in the Shadow World._

* * *

Ten minutes later, true to his word, Ryan was somewhat awake and dressed in a pair of black athletic shorts, green tanktop and tennis shoes. He pulled the front door gently closed and walked down to the end of the driveway. Kelsey was sitting in the grass next to the driveway stretching, wearing a yellow sports bra and black shorts. Her ever-present headphones were settled around her neck and her Walkman was clipped to her shorts. "Morning!" she greeted him happily.

"I must learn your secret," Ryan groaned. "You're _way_ too awake for 8AM on a Saturday."

Kelsey grinned, her eyes sparkling. "This is late," she replied. "So…is three miles too much for you, Mitchell?"

Ryan thought about it. "I don't know," he said finally. "I know I'm in shape, but I don't even know if I _like_ to run, so…" He shrugged and smiled. "Let's go for it. I'll turn around if it gets to be too much."

Kelsey nodded and got up off the grass. She took off down the sidewalk, Ryan keeping up with her. As they ran in silence, Ryan marveled at Mariner Bay. He'd not gotten to see much of it before. In between jumps to the surface he'd been so single minded in wreaking destruction that he'd never taken any time to learn the city, and it was fascinating. For one thing…it was so _green_. Kelsey led him off the main road and up into the green space in the higher elevations. She took this seriously, Ryan noted, following her up a dirt path into the trees. She kept her pace no matter what the terrain, hopping over stumps and boulders like they were nothing. Ryan followed awkwardly. _She makes it look so easy_ , he thought.

He missed a tree root, caught it with his sneaker, and faceplanted _hard_ into the dirt. He lay there for a moment, embarrassed.

A pair of yellow sneakers stopped in front of his face. "Nice landing," Kelsey said as he pushed himself onto his elbows. "Need a hand?" she asked him, offering him one. He grasped her wrist and hauled himself up, dusting himself off.

"Sorry for slowing you down," Ryan apologized. He rubbed his hands together, stinging from the fall. "You can keep goin' if you want."

"And leave you here?" Kelsey shook her head. "Nope. Not gonna leave a man behind." She smirked. "Even if it's his own fault for not watching where he was going."

Ryan didn't argue the point. "So you do this every day?"

Kelsey led him over to a fallen log and sat down. Ryan plopped down ungracefully next to her. "The past week I have," Kelsey replied. "When I was living at the Aquabase I mostly ran on the treadmill," she admitted. "Wasn't as much fun as being out here in nature."

Ryan surveyed the area. The trees grew pretty close together here, but patches of sunlight lit the dirt and moss in funky patterns. "Yeah, I can see where this'd be better," he said.

"So I have a question for you," Kelsey said, and Ryan braced himself. "When you left-right after the whole tattoo thing….where'd you go?"

Ryan flinched at the memory of the tattoo. He had almost forgotten the giant cobra. "I don't really remember having a set destination," he replied after a moment. "I just know I was on a mission to find a way to stop Queen Bansheera and Diabolico." He toed the dirt in front of them. "At one point I went back to the high desert, back to the ruins." He chuckled. "It's actually a really nice place, except for the creepy writing on the walls and the sense of foreboding."

Kelsey smiled. "You'd probably think it was pretty cool," Ryan told her. "There's a lot of pretty sweet rock formations and stuff. I know you like to climb." He frowned. "I wonder if I like to climb."

"Guessing you didn't get a lot of free time," Kelsey said, and Ryan nodded.

Kelsey bumped him with her shoulder. "So, do you like running?" she asked him. He thought about it. "I like _doing_ something," he decided. "I like it here."

"Good." Kelsey hopped off the log and pulled him to his feet. "Let's run back to town, and by then I'll be starving." She took off, leaving Ryan in the dust. "We can see if you like pancakes!"

Ryan stared at her retreating figure for a moment, then shook his head and took off after her.

 _I think I just found something else I might like_.

* * *

"You're such a baby!" Dana held the door open for Carter, holding his Lightspeed jacket and a carton of Chinese takeout in one hand while Carter limped into his apartment. She had to laugh, but kept it to herself. He looked so awkward-the big six foot two frame trying to keep some semblance of his manhood while he struggled with forward movement. "Hurry up, my arms are getting tired."

"Hey, in case you haven't noticed, I'm injured," Carter replied. He pushed past her into the apartment and made a beeline for his couch, collapsing on it with a sigh.

Dana closed his door, set his Lightspeed jacket over a chair, and put the takeout on his coffee table. _So this is how Carter Grayson lives._ The apartment was _very_ livable, albeit a very small space.

From where she stood in the doorway, she could see both his living space and his kitchen. The kitchen was typical apartment fare. The stove and fridge looked a little dated, the cabinets a little worn. The floor was laminate instead of linoleum, which she thought odd-why put so much work into the floor and not the rest? The living room had basic white carpet, and Carter had furnished a black futon and armchair. The TV stand looked secondhand, and the TV on top of it was a mid-90s model. Carter caught her looking. "I spent a lot of time at Ladder 4 or else at the Aquabase after I got recruited," he said by way of explanation. "Didn't make sense to have a huge place."

The one indulgence, Dana noted, were the two solid oak bookshelves in the corner of the room. They were full of books. As Carter settled onto the couch, Dana drifted across the living room floor over to the shelves. "I didn't know you read," she said, running her fingers along the shelves. Stacked neatly inbetween firefighting guides and textbooks were biographies of famous world leaders, interspersed with mystery novels and a few science fiction/fantasy titles. She picked up a Robert Jordan book and waved it at Carter. "You're an interesting man, Carter Grayson."

Carter held out his hand for the book, and then turned it over thoughtfully. "It's a nice escape from reality sometimes," he replied. "I used to bring that series back to the Aquabase with me." He handed it back to her to put on the shelf. "Might explain why I didn't think I was losing it when I saw that demon in the fire the day we became Rangers."

"Because you thought there was something else out there?"

He nodded. "I was right, wasn't I?" Dana nodded in agreement. She went over to the table and picked up the Chinese food, handing him one of the cartons and a set of chopsticks. She chose the Orange Chicken and popped the box open.

Carter watched her eat. "I'm sorry," he told her after a moment.

She stopped with her food halfway to her mouth. "Whaddya mean?" she asked.

Carter gestured to the cartons, his apartment, and the two of them. "Well, this isn't exactly the first date I had in mind," he told her. "I pictured something a little more romantic."

"Really." Dana set her food down and leaned back on her elbows on the floor. "Tell me, Carter, what's your idea of a great first date?"

Carter laughed. "Wow, no pressure being put on the spot or anything." Dana stuck her tongue out at him. "I guess I would've started it off by picking you up at your place." He sat up on the couch, propping his foot on top of a Mariner Bay Dolphins throw pillow. "We'd go downtown for something to eat. You don't strike me as the type to want something crazy fancy on the first date, and I don't like the idea of having to whisper the whole time while some guy in a tux frowns at us."

Dana laughed. "So where're we eating?" she asked. "You're right, I don't mind getting dressed up if the occasion calls for it but I wouldn't want to eat fancy food on a first date. I'd be so nervous I'd probably drop it on my dress."

"Speaking of," Carter said, indulging the fantasy, "what are you wearing on this date?"

"Hmm…." Dana's eyes sparkled. "Well, I'm kinda tired of pink. I've got this great purple dress that I've only worn once, and that was to Dad's promotion ceremony."

"Yeah, purple huh?" Carter grinned. "Describe it."

Dana swallowed, and she could feel her face getting red. "Well, it's got spaghetti straps. It's probably a little tight since Dad got promoted like two years ago and I've gained a little muscle since then." She flexed and Carter smiled at her. "It just goes straight across my chest, like this-" She sliced a line across the top of her t-shirt just above her bra line. "-and then it stops probably around my knees. It flares a little at the bottom, so if like, I'd be dancing or something, it spreads out a little."

"Not as much as Marilyn Monroe?" Carter asked, an image of Dana and the dress in his head, and Dana shook her head vehemently. " _Definitely_ not Marilyn Monroe," she said. "And then I dunno…I've got a pair of heels I'd have to wear considering you're so gosh darn tall."

"What can I say, good genes," Carter shrugged. "Well shoot, since you're gonna be wearing that, I better step up my game."

"We don't have to match," Dana teased. "You wouldn't look good in purple."

He made a face. "Ah, no, I agree," he said. "Hm. Well, let's assume this date takes place after I'm out of an Ace bandage."

"Scenario accepted," Dana said. "I don't want to have to haul you all over Mariner Bay."

This time, he stuck his tongue out at _her_. "All right then. I guess I wouldn't get too dressed up since we're not going out to Le Bordeaux…Gray slacks, probably a button down…" He thought about it. "I think I'm still a little attached to red, so it'd be my red button down." He closed his eyes for a second. "And then I've got a pair of black steel-toe boots to wear. They don't have much of a heel so I wouldn't be adding more inches, since I'm _sooo_ tall."

"You _are_ ," Dana emphasized. "Well all right then," she said. "Now that we're dressed…where are we going?"

"Well, since it's a casual night, I'd suggest The Pink Cadillac," Carter said. "Burgers, fries, casual atmosphere, music's not too loud."

"That sounds good." Dana stretched out on the floor. Carter tossed her another pillow from the couch and she tucked it under her head. "So burgers and fries. I like it, actually, I really do." She rested her head on her elbow. "So what happens after dinner?"

"After dinner…." Carter mused. "Is a walk on the beach too cliché?"

Dana shook her head. "Nope. Gives us time to talk and get to know each other. We didn't get a whole lot of alone time at the Aquabase, which is saying something considering how closed quarters that is."

"No kidding," Carter said. "So okay, a walk on the beach. If we're not full, how about we go get ice cream? There's that cool little place that sells shaved ice and cones right by the boardwalk."

"I like that place. Their strawberry vanilla is the best."

"So ice cream and a walk on the beach." Carter thought about it. "I guess we walk and talk for a while…if things go well, I'd suggest going out again."

Dana looked up at him and drew his gaze to her. She sat up and leaned across his coffee table. "Is that... _all_ you'd suggest?" she asked him.

She could swear his ears turned a faint shade of pink. "Maybe, maybe not," Carter replied honestly. "If it felt right, and you seemed like you wanted to, I'd probably ask if I could kiss you before we walk back to the car."

Dana closed her eyes, freezing that thought in her head. "That sounds like the perfect first date," she told Carter. She sat up and snatched the Chinese carton off the table. "We'll have to do that sometime," she said, wishing right then that Carter was healed.

"Promise," Carter said firmly.


	5. Beginnings

Bill Mitchell parked his Chrysler 300 and turned it off, but didn't get out. He stared straight ahead into the water. A hand reached up from the backseat and squeezed his shoulder. "It's okay, Dad," Ryan told his father. In the passenger seat, Dana nodded in affirmation. "We're right here with you."

Bill took a deep breath and let it out, then opened the car door and stepped outside. The morning was bright and humid, but a breeze off the ocean kept it bearable. He closed the door of the car and paused for a moment with his hand on the roof. Dana and Ryan came around to his side of the car and stood behind him. _This has been put off long enough_ , he told himself.

He'd parked on the shoulder of the private access road that once had a guard tower and held the entrance to Tunnel A, the main thoroughfare into the Project Lightspeed Aquabase. The tower was still standing, but the tube that led down into the bay was shattered. The road was blocked with warning signs and flashing lights, because beyond the cones and barriers was…nothing. A straight drop into the bay. "Twenty years of work…" he said quietly, staring at the broken Lexan glass, concrete and dirt and the road that ended…well, just ended.

"We should go," Dana said, feeling her father's hands clench as she put a hand on his arm. Ryan had come around and joined his sister and father. "Dad, come on," she said, tugging at his arm.

"It's okay, Dad," Ryan said. "This is a huge step just coming here," he reassured his father. "We can go." He wanted to go too. The guilt he felt in the part that he'd played in trying to hurt his father and sister was making his stomach hurt. Apart from the night he'd fallen from the cliff...he'd never seen this side of his father. It made him uncomfortable.

"No," Bill said softly. "No, it's okay." His voice caught. "I want to rebuild it," he said. He looked at his children. "I want to rebuild the Aquabase."

Dana and Ryan exchanged looks. "Dad," Ryan asked, "are you sure? I mean, this is a huge project, and Project Lightspeed well…Mariner Bay is safe now, it doesn't need it."

"There were other projects," Bill told his son. "Scientific projects that worked well in the underwater environment." He looked out into the bay again. "The closest lab that could even come close to simulating the environment for those experiments is off the coast near Reefside, and they're not underwater." He leaned against the car door. "The water pressure, salt water versus freshwater…" Bill waved a hand. "All that ocean and we've yet to uncover all its secrets," he said.

Dana could see it in his eyes. Bill Mitchell was never a man to give up. Give him the blueprint and the man could make anything happen. He'd poured his heart and soul into the Aquabase after Ryan had disappeared, often putting Dana and his health farther down his list. From that determination to find Ryan had come the Aquabase, the Rescue Zords, the Rescue Morphers and eventually, the entire Lightspeed Rescue Ranger program.

"Okay," Dana heard herself say. She gave her father a hug. "If that's what you want…" She looked at Ryan over the top of her father's shoulders as Ryan put two hands on his father's shoulders. "We'll help you, Dad."

"Until then," Ryan said, "Project Lightspeed-or whatever you plan on calling it-is going to need a temporary base of operations," he said. "Kelsey and I were out running around town yesterday and well…I think I found just the right place." He popped open the passenger door. "I'll direct, you drive."

Dana and Bill exchanged a curious look, and Bill climbed back into the car and executed a U-turn before heading back into Mariner Bay. Ryan directed them on the byway parallel to the beach, passing the shrine and boardwalk. "Right here," Ryan said. "Stop, this is the place."

Bill pulled the car into a parking lot. He was staring at the burned-out shell of the Bay Boats regional warehouse. It had been almost a month since the fire. "What-"

"I called Carter and had him talk to John Olliver at Engine 1," Ryan said, leaning forward into the driver's seat. "He said that John says it's not a complete structural loss. I mean, there'd be some extra cost for labor and furnishings and assessing and all that, but it sounded like a pretty decent deal. Carter said he could set up a meeting with John if you wanted to discuss the damage, but if you're looking for a temporary place…" Ryan pointed. "Future Home of Project Lightspeed," he said with his hands pasting the invisible artwork on the building. He sat back in the backseat and bit his lip. "So….what do you think?"

His father was silent for several minutes. Ryan could practically see the steam coming out of his ears as the gears turned, did the math… Bill finally turned around and opened his mouth.

Ryan jumped in. "I know it's a lot of work but Dana and I already talked to Angela Fairweather and Joel and Chad and Kelsey and they're willing to pitch in with the remodel, and Joel was talking about a charity air show-"

"I think it's perfect."

"-to help offset some of the cost and….what?" Ryan stopped mid-argument. "What'd you say?"

"I said," Bill repeated with a smile, his mind already moving into the building, "I think it's perfect." He grabbed his son in a side arm hug.

Ryan's face broke into a wide grin. "Seriously?" he said. He visibly relaxed. "Man, I was hopin' you'd say yes!"

"It's a great idea, little brother," Dana said, tossing him a thumbs up. "Really."

"We could even build out into the bay-there," Bill said, pointing out into the water. "I'd have to look at the geologics but if we could get out there at a decent depth..." His voice trailed off as his mind went to work. He looked up at his son. "Thank you," he told him.

Ryan grinned wider.

* * *

_The Titanium Ranger strolled down the access ramp and blasted open the metal garage door, striding into the Aquabase access tunnel like he owned the place. He strolled down the clear access tunnel, basking in the sight of the Lightspeed Megazord ripping the base to shreds. At the far end of the tunnel he blew open the security hatch and walked into Transport. What few security guards were left tried to stop him, but a few kicks and punches later and they were unconscious in the water of the moon pool. He walked down the hallways, practically empty because of the evacuation order and turned the corner into Operations._

_"Ryan?" his father asked, without turning around. His attention was focused on the cracked pressurized glass in the main viewing window._

_"No," the Titanium Ranger growled. "_ Not _Ryan."_

_His father turned to see the morphed figure in front of him. "It's finished. Your side has won," he said, utterly defeated._

_"I told you I'd destroy you," the ranger told him. He stepped forward, pinning the older man to the console as the glass crackled behind him. "This is for Ryan. For abandoning him. You should have just let him_ die _." He wrapped his gloves around Mitchell's neck and started to squeeze. The older man didn't put up a fight._

_"I'm sorry...Ryan," he breathed, and the Titanium Ranger looked down. Followed his arms down to the hands that were wrapped around his father's neck._

_Ryan let go in horror as his father slumped to the floor. "Dad?" Ryan cried out. "Dad!" He staggered back, falling over some broken pieces of ceiling tile and piping. His father's empty eyes stared back at him as the glass finally broke and water came rushing into the room._

* * *

Ryan awoke gasping for air. He threw the covers off and planted both feet on the floor, trying to get his breath back. He blinked furiously. His hands grasped one of his pillows and he chucked it across the room, knocking some kind of baseball trophy off the dresser.

 _I know there's still good in you_. His father's voice echoed in his mind.

 _That might be true but it doesn't erase the guilt_ , Ryan thought bitterly. _I need to get out._ He looked over at his nightstand and grabbed his phone. "Hey, Kelsey?" he asked when she picked up the line. "Are you gonna be out running this morning?" He thought of yesterday afternoon at the warehouse and managed a small smile. "I've got some pretty cool news."

Kelsey and Ryan stopped on their regular running path at their tree. Kelsey watched Ryan with interest. He'd hardly said a word the whole time, and had yet to share this news of his. "Are you okay?" she asked him after a moment. "You just um...you seem a little _off_ this morning."

"Nightmare," Ryan replied honestly.

"Oh." Kelsey waited. "You wanna talk about it?"

Ryan looked at the dirt. "Not really."

She nodded. "Okay." Then she brightened. "So did Captain Mitchell-" She broke off at Ryan's look and paused. "No wait, did your _dad_ say yes to the warehouse?" She was still having trouble adjusting to Bill Mitchell, civilian, and not her boss.

Ryan nodded, out of breath. "Yep," he said. He smiled. "I was so stoked he said yes to it, I think I blacked out for a second." He looked at her. "And thanks for offering to help put it all back together," he added. "That means a lot."

"We're still a team, Ryan," Kelsey said. She shrugged. "Even if we're not Rangers anymore, that doesn't mean we're not still looking out for each other." She looked at him. "That means _everybody_ ," she stressed. She poked him. "You too."

He toed the dirt for a moment. Then he looked up. "Man, there's so much to do," he said, hopping from one foot to the other. "We've gotta have the assessor come in and the city engineer to look at the structural damage, we've gotta find a contractor to start drawing up plans, renters to commit to space in the building…"

"You sound excited," Kelsey noted. She looked at him. "You know, I could probably get some of the guys at the skate park and the ramps to put on a demo show, to raise money for the cause."

Ryan looked at her happily. "Really, Kels?" he asked. "You'd do that?"

She nodded. "Of course," she said. "Were you not listening ten seconds ago? We're a team."

Before Kelsey knew what was happening, Ryan had grabbed her around the waist and lifted her into the air, spinning her in a circle once before setting her down and kissing her forehead. He stepped back, his eyes wide. "I-"

"I was wondering when you'd get around to that," Kelsey said, throwing her arms around him and kissing him back.


	6. Back in the Saddle

Carter Grayson awoke on a Thursday morning with a little more pep in his limping step. He'd been able to take off his Ace bandage and Dr. Lance had pronounced his foot healed and Carter fit for duty. He lay in bed and glanced around the room. The room was simple, much like the rest of his apartment. Navy blue curtains hung over the window that faced the parking lot, and a simple white dresser sat across the room. The walls were bare save three framed items. Above the dresser hung one of his family-mom, dad and his younger brother, taken on a family trip to the Florida Keys a few years ago. Carter's little brother David had just graduated middle school and was starting high school that following fall, so they'd gone to the Keys to celebrate.

The one next to the window was of the Lightspeed team. It was Joel who had insisted that they get a group shot and they'd taken it on a training day, so they were all in casual clothing. Kelsey and Dana wore black sports bras with pink and yellow trim and Lycra shorts. Joel, Chad, and himself were in black sweatpants and colored t-shirts, though Chad's tearaway pants were unbuttoned down the middle of the leg so his blue shorts peeked through. All wore fingerless gloves for gripping the obstacles and ropes they would be scaling that day. It had been post-run, and so they were all sweaty and dirty, which was a _perfect_ time for capturing their images forever, Dana had groaned. But Joel had insisted. "It's real!" he told her. "It's real life." So they'd posed, and one of the techs had snapped the picture.

 _Probably should've taken an updated one with Ryan_ , Carter thought as he looked at it. He made a mental note to get everybody together for another group shot sometime, maybe down at the beach. He sat up in bed and craned his neck backwards to look at the third item he had on his walls. This one wasn't really a photo, it was a certificate. The piece of paper that said Carter had successfully passed his fire fighting classes to become a member of Ladder 4.

 _And now I'm gonna be on Ladder 4 again_ , he told himself as he swung himself out of bed and headed to take a shower. Today he had an appointment to re-up his qualifications so that he could join his old unit again. He cranked the shower on the hottest it would go and let the water relax his nerves. If he didn't pass the tests this afternoon, it would be another six months before they'd be offered again, and in six months…Carter didn't want to wait anymore. He hopped out of the water and dressed in the same black tear-away pants and a red sleeveless t-shirt. He'd need the athletic clothes for the pack test, and something sturdier for the firefighting tests. He tossed a pair of jeans on his bed and rummaged in the closet for a duffle bag, tossing the blue jeans and his steel-toe boots inside.

The doorbell rang to his apartment, startling him. He glanced at the clock- 8:15 a.m. _Who the heck wants me this early_? He crossed the living room and glanced through the peephole, smiling as he opened the door to see Kelsey Winslow and Ryan there. "Hey," Ryan greeted him.

"Morning," Carter responded. "You're up early."

"Her fault," Ryan said, tossing a thumb at Kelsey. "She insists on running at these god-awful times." Carter now noted they were both dressed similarly to him, Ryan in a silver tanktop and black shorts and Kelsey in a yellow tanktop and blue shorts. "Wish I'd have known you guys were running, I could've been getting more in shape for today."

"That's why we're here," Kelsey said. "Ryan mentioned you had your quals today, and we came to wish you luck!"

"And to let you know that _when_ you pass, Team Lightspeed is getting together to celebrate," Ryan added.

"Wish I had your confidence," Carter said.

"You've got this," Kelsey told him, clapping a hand on his arm. "I mean, it's gotta be easier than fighting demons-"

"Piloting a giant robot," Ryan tossed in.

"-and almost getting dragged into hell," Kelsey finished.

Carter laughed and the butterflies in his stomach dropped to one or two instead of the swarm. "Thanks, you guys." He looked at each of them. "I mean it."

"Well, we gotta get back out there," Kelsey said. "We'll see you after you pass!" She took off jogging for the stairs, leaving Ryan standing there.

"Dana said to tell you good luck," Ryan told him. "Dad too. We're rooting for you."

"Thanks, man," Carter replied. "Means a lot."

"We'll see you later," Ryan repeated. "Good luck!" He turned and took off down the stairs after Kelsey. Carter heard the downstairs door open and slam shut after a moment. He grinned and shook his head as he closed his door. As he headed into the kitchen he heard his phone vibrate on the tabletop. He reached over and picked it up. _Text message from Chad Lee_. Carter flipped his phone open and brought up the message. "Good luck today. Chad." Carter snapped his phone shut. Chad would no doubt have heard from Kelsey. The two spent almost as much time together and Kelsey and Ryan had been lately. Since Lightspeed had ended, Carter knew Chad had gotten a job for the rest of the summer working as a lifeguard on the public beach. It put him near the ocean, which was right up Chad's alley, the water bug that he was. After that…Chad was just as up in the air as everybody else was. It was half the reason Carter wanted to get back into firefighting. He'd had the conversation with Dana the other night.

* * *

_The beach- a few nights ago_

_"What're you going to do when summer's over?" Dana asked Carter. They were sitting on the beach, Carter toeing the sand with his foot that wasn't in the wrap. The sun was just setting on the horizon._

_"I want to get back in with Ladder 4," Carter replied quickly._

_She laughed. "Thought about this, have you?"_

_He shrugged. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss it," he told her. "I miss being able to help people." He looked sideways at her. "I liked that about being a Ranger too. That fire we were on cemented it for me. I need to get back into firefighting. I need to feel like I'm doing something good."_

_"Have you talked to John?" Dana asked._

_"Yeah," Carter said. "He said as soon as I'm back on both feet I can take the qualifications. I checked the calendar, and there's a requalification late next week."_

_Dana whistled. "Wow, Carter, that's fast. Are you sure your ankle will be up to it?"_

_He didn't say anything. "Carter…" Dana said warningly, and Carter threw his hands up. "Okay, I give," he said. "I may or may not have been doing PT on it the past few weeks."_

_"You're supposed to be resting," Dana chided him gently._

_"I've been resting for like three weeks," Carter protested. "If I miss this test I have to wait six months." He gingerly got to a standing position. "I don't want to wait anymore."_

_Dana shook her head and took his offered hand to stand. "I understand that," she told him. "Believe me, I do. I've been looking at the upcoming schedules for part time shifts at the hospitals."_

_"Are you gonna finish med school?" Carter asked. Dana nodded. "I figure I can take classes during the day, maybe do a few shifts at night with the ambulance crew…"_

_"That's great!" Carter praised. "I know how much you want to be a doctor."_

_Dana blushed. "Well, the downside to us wanting to grow up," she said, looping her arm through his, "is that if you're at the firehouse and I'm working nights…we're not gonna get a lot of time together."_

_"We'll make it work," Carter said. "Whatever free time we get."_

_"If I'm not sleeping…or you're not," Dana teased._

_"Then we'll sleep together," Carter declared. Dana's jaw dropped, and Carter smacked his forehead, realizing what he'd just said. "That's not what I meant." He stumbled over the words. "I meant that…we should…" He waved a hand in the air, embarrassed. "Never mind."_

_Dana burst out laughing, brushing her blonde hair back behind her ear. "I appreciate the thought," she told him. "Just um, don't mention it to my dad."_

_"Right, 'cause that's a conversation I want to have," Carter snickered. "Hi Mr. Mitchell, is Dana home taking a nap between shifts? Can I join her?"_

_This time Dana hit him and he laughed. "There's no good way to say that," he shook his head. "Anyway, the point of that um….awkward moment, was that there's no reason we can't both chase down our dreams and spend time together. We'll make it work."_

_Dana leaned into his chest. "I hope so."_

* * *

Carter looked at the clock as he started his pot of coffee. Almost nine-thirty. Live fire training started at two. He jogged back into the living room and grabbed his old training manual, propping it up on the counter while he made a bowl of oatmeal. When the microwave dinged, he pulled it out and had just popped a spoon in his mouth when the doorbell rang again. He set his bowl down and walked over to the door.

"I'm a popular guy this morning," he said, licking the spoon. "Hi Dana."

Dana stood there in a pair of denim shorts and a Mariner Bay Dolphins jersey. "What do you mean?"

"Your brother and Kelsey were just here, and Chad sent a text." He stepped back so she could come in. "Haven't heard from Joel yet but I expect he's busy flirting with Angela even though it's not even noon."

"Oh without a doubt," Dana said. "Anyway, I just came by to wish you luck and see if you needed a ride to your test."

"I'd love one," Carter said. "I want to look into a new truck but haven't had a chance yet." He glanced at the clock on the oven. "Training is actually over in Silver Hills," he said. "The course here got um…squished."

"Squi-oh," Dana said. She had a not-so-distant memory of giant rocks falling from the sky. "Got it." She checked her watch. "We should get on the road then soon," she told him. "You almost ready to go."

"Well, I'd like to finish my oatmeal if that's okay with you," Carter teased. "Haven't been able to eat it with all the people at my doorstep this morning."

"Got any more?" Dana asked, and Carter grinned as he pulled down a second bowl.

* * *

The ride to Silver Hills was quiet, as Carter's nerves started to take over. He tapped out a rhythm on his pants leg as he watched the coast sail by outside the car window. Dana was humming along with the radio, figuring if he wanted to talk, he would. He was grateful for the silence as it gave him time to run through everything that would be happening that afternoon. As Dana pulled into Silver Hills city limits, Carter straightened up in his seat. "I didn't think I'd be this nervous," he said. "But I guess I have been out of the game for a year."

"You weren't completely out," Dana pointed out. "There were a few fires…"

"Yeah but I wasn't fighting them in firefighter gear with a ladder truck," Carter countered. "I was fighting them in a spandex suit and helmet with a giant robot."

Dana gave him that one. "You'll be fine." She reached over and squeezed his hand. "You'll do fine," she repeated reassuringly. "It'll all come back to you and it'll be like riding a bike."

"Right," Carter snorted. "Sure." He leaned back against the headrest as Dana pulled into the parking lot of the Silver Hills Fire & Rescue Training Center. "I'll be waiting," Dana said, giving him a quick peck on the cheek. "Good luck."

"Thanks," Carter said. He took a deep breath, let it out, and got out of the car. He shouldered his bag and walked around the back to check in. "Carter Grayson," he told the guy sitting at the table. "Mariner Bay Ladder 4."

"Hey Carter," the guy said knowingly, and Carter looked down. Then his face broke into a grin. "Hey Anthony," he said. "How ya been?"

"Not bad," Anthony Smith replied with a smile. Anthony worked at Engine 4 in Mariner Bay. Carter had been on a couple fires with him, but more importantly, they'd played on the Fire vs. Law softball team together. Carter was first base and Anthony pitched. The two were a great team. "Looking to get back in the rotation huh?"

"Yeah," Carter said. He shrugged. "Hopefully I haven't completely lost it."

Anthony winked. "Can't lose what you didn't have." He slid a clipboard forward as Carter smirked and signed in. "Good luck, man, it'll be nice to have you back. Law almost beat us last summer."

"That would've been a tragedy," Carter responded. "See ya later." He went to go change into his gear for the live fire training. Five minutes later he was in borrowed gear and waiting with the other trainees. He saw John Olliver on the side with a stopwatch. John caught his eye and gave him a slight nod. Carter took his place at the line with the fire hose and waited.

He heard the whistle, and the rest of the day was a blur.

* * *

He came out of the locker room four hours later after showering and saw a bunch of guys standing around the bulletin board. He stepped up to the group and read the list. The sixth name down in the PASS column was Carter Grayson. _YES!_ He practically ran out of the building, to where Dana was leaning up against the car. She looked up when she heard footsteps. "Hey!" she said. "Did you-"

Carter picked her up and swung her in a circle. "I'm in! I'm back at Ladder 4, and I start Saturday!"


	7. Celebrations & Plans

"See, I just wanna know one thing," Joel Rawlings leaned across the table and pointed at Carter. "Does Mariner Bay Fire have an aerial unit?" He raised his hand for a high five and Carter slapped his palm. "Obviously there's somethin' about a boy in uniform, and I need to think about changin' careers." He pointed with his glass at Dana, who was practically sitting in Carter's lap, and grinning like a proud mama.

"Would that mean you have to give up the hat?" Angela Fairweather asked him in mock horror. She looked at Dana and Kelsey, who was sitting next to her. "You know I'm only dating you for the hat," she told Joel seriously.

Joel grimaced. "On second thought…." He put an arm around Angela. "That's no contest."

The pretty scientist smirked and leaned into him. "I didn't think so."

"I was in a uniform for a whole year," Chad Lee cut in. "I'm perfectly happy living in swim trunks for the rest of my life," he added, leaning back in his chair.

"Amen to that," Ryan replied, toasting Chad across the table. The Lightspeed team had gotten together to celebrate Carter's reinstatement at a sports bar near the pier. For some reason, the team always gravitated toward the beach when it came to celebrating. Even on their days off at Lightspeed they'd seemed to end up at the beach. It could have had to do with the fact that the demons had that weird Wicked Witch of the West thing going where they couldn't go in the water. The beach was safe turf.

"So when do you start?" Kelsey asked Carter, popping a french fry in her mouth. Ryan nicked one of her fries and she glared at him.

"This weekend, Saturday, eleven to seven." Carter swirled his drink. "I'm looking forward to getting back into it," he said.

"And so Dana becomes a fire widow," Angela teased.

"That just means more girls' nights," Kelsey told them, and the three girls laughed.

"And more reasons for me not to be home," Ryan groaned, and Chad clapped him on the back.

"And I might not be as lonely as you all think I will be," Dana said quietly, and Carter turned to her and rubbed her shoulders with an encouraging smile.

"What do you mean?" Kelsey asked, the same time Angela said, "What are you talking about?"

"I have applied for medical school," Dana replied. "My test is next week."

The girls squealed and the guys all covered their ears. "Dr. Dana!" Kelsey squealed, thrilled for her best friend, and the squealing started all over again. Carter had to push Dana off his lap and cover his ears. "Yeah," Joel teased. "I know the feeling." Angela punched him in the side.

"Congratulations," Chad said, tipping his glass to Dana. "I think you'd make a great doctor."

She smiled. "Thanks, Chad."

"You nervous?" Joel asked, and Dana shrugged.

"Oh I dunno," she replied. "I've been studying like crazy and EMT training and stuff is helping me keep focused."

"I'm more nervous than she is," Carter admitted. "I'm glad she knows what half the questions in the study guide mean, because I'm asking her the practice questions, but I'm the one going through the book like, 'Are you sure? What page is that on'?"

"She'll be fine," Ryan said with a smile. "She always wanted to be a doctor." He smiled at Dana across the table.

"Awww…" Kelsey teased, elbowing him in the side and Ryan stuck his tongue out at her.

Angela raised her glass and everyone else followed suit. "Here's to Lieutenant Grayson and Dr. Dana Mitchell!"

* * *

The party went on for another hour before everyone begged off citing work or other commitments for an early morning, and Carter walked Dana home. "I feel bad," Dana admitted to him as they started walking down the street.

"Why?" he asked her, wrapping a hand around her waist. "For what?"

"Well, we went out to celebrate you," Dana said, biting her lip. "And then the whole thing kinda shifted toward me and I feel bad." She leaned her head on his arm.

"Dana," Carter said, "It didn't matter to me." He stopped her under a streetlight. "The way I see it, if we're celebrating you, I'm so proud of you that I'm perfectly happy taking a backseat to you." He brought her around so she was facing him. "Tonight was _our_ night," he decided. "Ours together."

"I like that," Dana said after a moment. " _Ours_."

Carter tangled a hand in her hair and tilted her head as he bent down and Dana wrapped her hands around his shoulders and then, they were kissing.

 _Fireworks_ , Dana thought to herself. _Heat and light and…wow._ This was beyond amazing. A whole year of waiting for this moment and it was _so_ worth the wait.

For Carter, this was the culmination of a years' worth of daydreams and fantasies. How many times had he dreamt of taking Dana aside after a mission and just kissing her? But never being able to because they were always being watched, or there was paperwork and debriefing, or training or… _why the hell am I thinking about this now_? He pulled her deeper into the kiss.

A moment later, he set her down, completely not realizing that he'd picked her up. "Not bad for our first kiss," he said breathlessly.

Dana pointed across the street. "Apparently, they agree," she said, her face turning red. Carter's eyes widened as he realized that Joel, Angela, and Chad had stopped to watch, and Joel was cheering, "That's my boy!" Angela elbowed Joel in the side.

Carter swore under his breath and Dana laughed. She grabbed his hand. "Come on," she said, her eyes sparkling. "Let's go someplace without an audience," she said as she pulled him along.

Carter couldn't resist. He tossed a wink over his shoulder at Joel and then let Dana pull him down the street and around the corner.

* * *

Carter dropped Dana off at her house, where he'd parked his truck. "I think this thing is on it's last legs," he said-pointing to the vehicle. "First paycheck I think is for a new truck." He climbed out of the truck and let Dana out, then escorted her up the walk.

"It's okay," Dana said. "I liked the walk."

"You're both home late," Ryan Mitchell said from the front step, startling them both.

"You're _not_ my dad," Dana shot back, half teasing, half serious. To prove her point, she kissed Carter again. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah," Carter replied. "See you," he said. He turned to start down the drive when Ryan hopped off the stairs and caught him.

"Hey, Carter?" Ryan asked him. "Got a sec?"

" _Ryan_ ," Dana hissed.

"It's nothing bad, Dana, I swear," Ryan replied. "Seriously."

She frowned. "Fine." Dana went up the stairs and into the house, to immediately duck into the living room and pull the curtain back to watch the exchange.

"What's up Ryan?" Carter asked him.

Ryan shifted anxiously from one foot to the other."Well," he said. "I wanted to ask you something."

Carter spread his hands. "Ask away." Then he frowned. "Please tell me you're not asking me about my intentions with your sister."

"No," Ryan said. "It's not that actually."

Inwardly, Carter breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay then," he said. "What is it?"

"I wanna ask Kelsey out," Ryan admitted. He looked at Carter. "And….I was hoping you'd have some ideas." He sat down on the driveway and ran a hand through his hair. After a moment, Carter sat down beside him and waited. "I don't know much about Kelsey. You've known her longer."

"Haven't you guys been running every morning?" Carter asked him.

"Yeah," Ryan said. "But that's all we do," he said. Carter looked at him, amused. "Well, we talk about other stuff, I guess," Ryan added. "But not about her. Or me. Nothing that means a whole lot."

"I see," Carter said. "Well, then that's your first date right there," he said. "Go someplace you can talk. Besides, I can vouch from experience that there's nothing good in theatres right now. And you can't get to know each other in a dark theatre anyway."

Ryan looked at Carter out of the corner of his eye and Carter frowned. "That's _not_ what I meant."

"Suuuree," Ryan drawled and Carter hit him with his shoulder. "Seriously. Kelsey is athletic and spontaneous, and I think something like dinner and a movie would probably be boring to her." He thought a moment. "But you guys also need to get to know each other. Tell me what you know about Kelsey."

Ryan leaned back. "Well, she's smart, and she's fit. She's brave, and she's compassionate." He closed his eyes. "She's laid back and she's willing to try anything once."

"Give me something, man," Carter rolled his eyes. "You sound like you're describing your sister."

"Ew," Ryan wrinkled his nose. "Um…let's see. She loves to be outside. She's environmentally conscious, I got a whole spiel the other day when we were running." He smiled. "She loves her family to death, she likes music…" Ryan threw his hands up. "I dunno."

"And now we're getting somewhere." Carter propped himself on his elbows. "Take that information, and take her out somewhere the two of you can talk and get to know more about each other. I'd bet Kelsey doesn't know near as much about you either other than what we learned from Lightspeed."

Ryan gave him a half smile. "She must like a little of what she knows…she let me kiss her."

" _Wait_." Carter's jaw dropped. "You _kissed_ her?"

"Yeah," Ryan said, sounding almost proud of himself. "It was nice."

"Next time, try for something that's a little more than 'nice,'" Carter suggested. "I mean, mine and Dana's was pretty memorable."

" _Dude_!" Ryan grimaced. "I don't need to hear this!"

Carter grimaced. "Yeah, that wasn't right." He stood up. "Anyway, man, use your imagination. I'm sure whatever you plan for Kels will be perfect." He offered a hand to Ryan and pulled the younger man up. "Good luck, dude."

"Yeah, thanks," Ryan said. He stood at the end of the driveway staring at his feet. _Use my imagination…._ He sighed. _Maybe I should've asked Joel for advice…_


	8. Nerves

" _So how'd your test go?"_

Dana lay on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. "Okay, I think," she replied. "We get our scores in the mail soon." Carter had called Dana after supper. She'd taken her med school test that morning and he was calling to see about her results.

" _Hurry up and wait, huh?"_ Carter sighed. " _That sucks_."

"A little," Dana replied. "I'll be busy though, so that'll help take my mind off it."

" _Oh yeah?"_ Carter asked. " _What's keeping the future Dr. Dana Mitchell so busy_?"

"Well," Dana flipped over onto her stomach. "Ryan's birthday is coming up."

 _"I thought his birthday was like six months ago?"_ Carter asked, confused.

Dana switched the phone to her other ear. "Well, it was, but I think Dad wants to make up for lost time now that he's back. It's his first one we'll celebrate as a family since before…" she trailed off. "Well, anyway, Dad and I were thinking about throwing him a party."

" _Do you even know what he likes enough to have a party_?"

"Kelsey's working on that," Dana grinned. Her best friend was subtly pumping her brother for information on their morning runs. "Anyway, his birthday is next Friday, so don't make any plans."

" _You sure you want me there?"_ Carter asked. " _I mean, maybe you guys just want to keep it small and family."_

"You _are_ family _,"_ Dana said. "Besides, Joel and Angela and Chad and Kelsey are coming too. The last big birthday Ryan had, he was eight. And it's kinda like a birthday and a welcome home thing all in one."

" _I'll clear my calendar_ ," Carter replied. " _And keep the 25th open._ "

"What happens the 25th?" Dana asked.

" _Well my family always has this big barbecue thing before school starts_ ," Carter told her. " _And I was thinking…maybe you'd wanna come."_

Dana sat up and switched the phone to her other ear. "You want me to meet your family?"

On the other end of the phone, Carter chuckled. _"Well yeah. I mean, we've been dating like a month officially, right?"_

"I think it's been a little longer but...I didn't realize there was a calendar," Dana replied. She bit her lip. "Do you think they'll like me?"

" _You can't be serious with that, really? They'll love you."_ She could hear the smile in his voice. " _And my mom'll be thrilled to not be outnumbered by guys."_

Dana was quiet. It made her nervous. It was one thing for Carter to come spend time with her father and her and Ryan. Bill Mitchell was Carter's childhood hero, and Bill liked Carter. But Dana didn't know anything about Carter's family and frankly…meeting his family scared her. " _Dana?"_ Carter asked. _"Still there?"_

"Yeah," Dana replied after a moment.

" _Look, if meeting my family freaks you out, you don't have to come."_

She traced an outline on her blanket. "No, it's okay," she said. "I do want to meet them I just…" She tucked her hand under her chin. "I just hope they like me."

" _They will,"_ Carter reassured her. " _Hey, I gotta go,"_ he said. " _I gotta go get some stuff for the station. It's tradition that new guy cooks dinner one night and I'm technically the new guy..again."_

"Let me know if there's leftovers," Dana replied. "I recommend your homemade chicken noodle soup."

Carter laughed. " _I'll remember that. That's not a bad idea actually. It's easy and doesn't require me to break the firehouse_ _budget_." Just then, Dana heard chimes in the background. " _Sorry, Dana. I'll talk to you later."_

"Have a good night," Dana replied, then he realized he'd already hung up and she was talking to dead air. She set the phone down and rolled over to stare at the giant med school textbook sitting on her desk. She sighed. _I want this_ so _bad. I hope I passed._

* * *

A light mist had settled over the trees, but Ryan barely felt it as he and Kelsey tackled the forest trail. Ryan had been pleased to note that after almost a month, he could keep up with Kelsey on their runs. A fact that Kelsey knew and exploited every chance she had, running faster, picking harder trails. Today, he was right behind her as they ran up the side of the mountain. She was making it _tough_. But he kept pace with her. She loved a challenge. _Fortunately, so do I._

As he ran, he let his mind wander. Today he planned to ask Kelsey if she wanted to go out on a real date, and not just a run. He was nervous. He thought back to when he'd kissed her. _We're doing this backwards._ _I should've asked her out first before I kissed her. Although she didn't seem to mind._

He shook his head as he ran. _Demon boy's doing it all wrong_. He didn't know if he could use that as an excuse. _Sorry, I was brought up by demons, so they didn't exactly teach me dating etiquette_.

And then it happened. His foot caught something and he went down _hard_. He lay there for a moment and glanced back. It was the _same damn root_ that he'd fallen over their very first run.

 _It's a sign._ He made up his mind then and there he was waiting to ask Kelsey out. Because at this point, she was totally going to say no. It wasn't worth further embarrassment.

"Need a hand?" Kelsey asked dryly as she crouched down next to him.

He looked up at her. "Nah. I'm good." He got to his feet and made a halfhearted attempt to brush the leaves and mud off his workout clothes. "Just makin' sure that root was still there." For good measure, he grabbed it and yanked, ripping one end loose from the ground.

Kelsey gave him half a smile, amused at his anger at a tree root, of all things. "Well, it's not anymore. So, what're you doing Saturday?" she asked him.

"Nothing," Ryan ground out as he stood up. "Probably icing after this fall. Why?"

"Well, Saturday's this big extreme sports fest down by the boardwalk," Kelsey said, offering him a hand. "They call it 'Thrills on Wheels'. And I'm in a couple of events, but afterwards there's this big party on the pier and there's a DJ and free food…you wanna go?"

"I-" Ryan whipped around so he was looking at Kelsey. " _Excuse_ me?" he asked.

Kelsey took a step back in surprise. "What?" she shot back, not one to be intimidated.

"What are you doing?" he demanded.

Kelsey spread her hands. "I'm asking you if you wanna hang out Saturday night." She dropped her hands and crossed her arms. "Course, if that's too much to ask, I can go alone."

"Are you-" Ryan shook his head once to clear it. _I don't believe this!_ "Are you asking me out?" he asked her.

"It's the 21st century, Ryan," Kelsey bit. "I'm allowed to ask."

"I know that!" he snapped, annoyed. "I just don't _believe_ this!" He ran a hand over his face and through his hair, making it spike in the front.

" _What_ is your problem?" Kelsey demanded, pushing him in the chest with one hand. "What the hell did I do?"

"You-" And then to Kelsey's surprise, Ryan started laughing. She turned and faced up the trail, crossing her arms over her chest again. Ryan tried to quit laughing long enough to turn Kelsey back around to face him. "I'm sorry, Kels," he apologized. "I didn't mean to make you mad."

"You didn't," the ever-argumentative Kelsey responded, refusing to look him in the eye. "'I'm not mad." Ryan put one hand on her shoulder as he used the other to tip her chin so she was facing him.

"Yeah, you are," he said. "I didn't mean to. I'm laughing at the situation, not at you."

"And what _situation_ -" she mocked him, "-would that be?" Her blue eyes flared.

Ryan sighed. "I had every intent of asking you out when we got back down for breakfast." He pushed her gently. "But you beat me to it."

"I- _what_?"

He shoved his hands in his shorts pockets. "I was gonna ask you out at the café when we got down there. See if you wanted to go to a movie or something. But then I tripped on that _stupid_ root and figured it was a bad sign, and then I figured I'd _really_ screwed it up 'cause I already kissed you and I'm doin' all this backwards and-"

"Ryan Mitchell," Kelsey interrupted. He looked at her. "Shut up," she told him, and threw her arms around his shoulders and kissed him. When they broke apart, she shook her head. "You're a dork," she told him, hitting him playfully upside the head.

He shrugged. "Well, I was raised by demons….I don't exactly have an ideal role model to learn from," he said.

She hit him again. "That's a stupid excuse. And you never answered my question."

Ryan smiled. "Yeah, Kels, I'll go with you Saturday night. But I'm picking you up _and_ I'm driving."

Kelsey frowned. "Um….you have a car?" she asked him carefully. "I don't ever remember seeing you drive."

He could've hit himself that time. _Darned If there wasn't that pesky never learning to drive thing and that stupid sidecar on Carter's cycle…_ "New plan," he said, kissing her forehead. "You can drive, but I'm paying for dinner."

"They have free food at the party," Kelsey countered.

Ryan grinned. "Yeah, no, we're goin' for some _real_ food before the dance," he said. "To celebrate after you win your events."

"But, I'll be all sweaty and gross!" Kelsey protested in horror. "I can't go out someplace looking like-"

"Kelsey Winslow," Ryan said, kissing her. "Shut up."


	9. Surprises

"Ryan hurry up!" Bill yelled from the entryway. He wore a bright Hawaiian shirt, old t-shirt and shorts and held a fishing pole in one hand. He glanced at his daughter. Dana was fairly dancing. Their father had agreed to get Ryan out of the house for a few hours so Dana and Kelsey could set up for Ryan's unofficial birthday party. Kelsey was literally on her way over, and Ryan and Bill were supposed to have left five minutes ago but Ryan had gotten up late.

"Come _on_ ," Dana hissed, looking at her dad in exasperation.

"What? I can't haul him out of the shower naked," Bill pointed out. "It'd scare the fish!"

"Just get him outta here!" Dana groaned. Just then, they heard a car pull up outside. Dana dashed to the window and saw Kelsey getting out of her little Honda Civic. Dana's eyes went wide. "If Ryan sees her we're _dead_!"

Bill snorted. "Dana, come on, it's not unusual that Kelsey would be over here to spend time with her best friend," he said, an eyebrow raised.

Dana grabbed her watch. "At 8 in the morning?!" she cried. She brushed past her father and ran out to the curb where Kelsey was just coming up the lawn. "Kels! You gotta go around the block!"

Kelsey squinted at her. "What? Why?"

"'Cause Ryan and Dad are still here!"

"Oh. _Oh!_ " Kelsey's eyes went wide. She ran back to her car and threw open the door and started the car at the same time. She had just turned the corner as Ryan and Bill came outside, Ryan in a black tanktop and swim trunks.

"Who were you talking to?" Ryan asked Dana as they came down to the car.

"Me? Nobody? Um…" Dana bit her lip. "Paperboy," she said finally.

Ryan looked at her curiously. "Uh, you don't have a paper."

Dana mentally cursed her luck.

"No, we don't," Bill spoke up, saving his daughter further embarrassment. "But I'd like to, so I asked Dana to go catch him before he got too far down the street."

"Right," Dana said. "He'll said we'll get put on the route starting next week." She sent a silent _thank you_ to her dad and made a mental note to call the Mariner Bay Forum.

Ryan looked from his sister to his father. "Uh huh," he said finally. "Well, Dad, we better go if we wanna beat the rain this afternoon."

"Yeah, you should go." Dana agreed quickly. "See you guys later!" She all but pushed Ryan into the passenger seat. Bill backed out of the driveway and took off toward the ocean, just as Kelsey came slowly puttering around the corner. She pulled into the driveway and shut the car off. She shot Dana a Look. "Well, that was fun."

Dana laughed and pulled Kelsey up to the house. "So, I was thinking we could concentrate most of the party in the living room, but keep the food in the kitchen."

"Good plan, easier to clean," Kelsey agreed, shrugging out of her jacket and tossing it on the couch. She was wearing a yellow button-down and jean shorts. "It'd be nice to have the party outside in the yard, but since it's supposed to rain…"

"Yeah, I know," Dana sighed. "Oh well. We'll just have to make the best of the indoors. What time did you tell everybody to come?"

"Chad is coming around ten- _oh_ , and he's bringing a date!" Kelsey grinned.

"What?" Dana asked in surprise. "I didn't know he was seeing anybody. Well, I mean, there was the one girl-"

"Please," Kelsey said. "That was _so_ not gonna work out. No, her name is Rachel and I guess she works at the Marine Park where he used to work. Except she works with seals or otters or walruses or something."

"Yeah, 'cause those are the same thing."

Kelsey brushed it off. "You know what I mean. Anyway, she's cute, and she's nice, and I figured this is a good chance for her to meet everybody."

Dana smiled. "You're a good friend, Kelsey Winslow."

Kelsey batted her eyelashes. "Well I try," she said. "Anyway, and then Joel and Angela are coming around 3:30, which means everybody should be here around four, which is perfect." She hit Dana in the shoulder. "Oh yeah, and speaking of Joel…he's proposing to Angela."

" _What_?" Dana almost dropped the banner she was trying to post. "When did _this_ happen?"

"Well, you know Joel, the 'Sky Cowboy,' he doesn't do slow," Kelsey quipped. "I guess he's planning on doing it really soon. Carter went with him to look at the ring."

"He _did_?" The thought of Carter shopping for rings did strange things to Dana's mind.

Kelsey wiggled her eyebrows. "Yup!" She moved an end table against the wall to start clearing the middle of the floor.

"Now I have to try to keep that a secret around Angela," Dana sighed. "Keep me occupied," she begged Kelsey.

"What, and make Carter jealous?" Kelsey winked. "Okay!"

Dana chuckled and shook her head as she helped Kelsey move the couch out of the middle of the living room floor. "That's _not_ what I meant."

"Oh I know," Kelsey teased. "It's just fun to make you blush!"

Dana smiled. "I miss you," she said. "I feel like we haven't hung out in forever."

Kelsey set her end of the couch down and looked over at her friend. "Well, you got busy with med school stuff and Carter and….I got busy with training for the festival and Ryan…."

"How's that going by the way?" Dana asked sitting on the arm of the couch.

Kelsey blushed. "He asked me out for tomorrow night," she said. "After the festival we're going out to eat and then back to the party at the pier."

"Sounds like fun," Dana replied. She reached over and hugged Kelsey. "We always thought it would be cool to be sisters. You know, if you marry my brother…."

"Whoa!" Kelsey sat back like she'd been shocked. "How about we go out first before you send Carter out looking for rings?" she begged her friend. "Okay, enough talk, let's get back to the party. I brought all the stuff for cookies." She jumped up. "Does your dad have cooking spray?"

Dana grinned as she followed Kelsey out into the kitchen. They had just mixed the dough when there was a knock and Dana went out to let Chad into the house. Standing with him was a pretty redhead with green eyes in a pair of dark denim jeans and a blue one-shoulder tanktop. "Hi, Dana," Chad said.

"Hey Chad, you guys are the first ones here." Dana nodded. "Who's your friend?"

Chad ushered his companion forward. "Dana, this is Rachel Simons," he said. "Rachel, this is Dana."

"It's nice to meet you in person," Rachel said, shaking Dana's hand. "You saved my life once."

"I did?" Dana blushed. "Just doing my job." There was a moment of awkward silence, and then Kelsey yelled from the kitchen, "The oven's preheated!"

Dana looked at Rachel. "Do you like chocolate chip cookies?"

Chad grinned. "She makes the best."

"Chad," Rachel said, embarrassed.

"What?" he defended her. "It's true." He smiled and squeezed her shoulders.

"Let's test that theory," Dana said, and pulled Rachel into the kitchen. She didn't see the relieved look on Chad's face. He was pleased they liked Rachel.

* * *

"Hey hey, the party's here!"

A few hours later, Joel and Angela made their entrance with Joel announcing their presence. Chad practically ran to the door. "Thank God, another guy," he said thankfully. "If I never bake another cookie, it'll be too soon."

"Oh _please_ ," Kelsey said, coming up behind him and clapping him on the back. "You were _eating_ as many as we were making you put on the trays." She rolled her eyes and Angela hid a smile. "Hey guys!" she said brightly. "Shoes go in the closet."

"Are you guys just about set up?" Angela asked.

"Pretty close," Kelsey said. "It's mostly just setting up junk food and chips and dip and stuff." She looked at Joel and Chad. "Okay, manly construction project!" she clapped her hands together. "There's a black and silver banner in the living room that needs to get put up over the window."

Joel and Chad looked at each other. "It's either that or were need someone to clean the bathroom downstairs," Dana yelled from the kitchen.

"Which end do you want?" Joel asked Chad, and the two headed into the living room. Angela smiled. "All right, put me to work." She followed Kelsey into the kitchen. "Angela, this is Rachel," Kelsey introduced Chad's friend. "Rachel this is Angela. She's currently Joel's flavor of the week."

"It's been more than a week!" Angela teased. "You must be Chad's friend?" Rachel nodded. "It's nice to meet you," Angela said.

Five minutes later, the doorbell rang and Carter came in without waiting. "I just saw them leaving the pier!" he announced. "Looks like they caught a couple big ones, so I bet they stop by the cleaning station first." He gave Dana a hug and kissed the top of her head. "Hey, Party Planner. How goes it?" He frowned when he looked at the banner strung over the window. It hung awkwardly at an angle. "Who put the banner up?"

"This is what happens when you get a six foot Joel and a five-seven Chad to put it up," Angela groaned. "Carter, can you fix the one end?" she asked.

Carter rolled up the sleeves on his hooded MBFD sweatshirt. "Stand aside, boys," he told Joel and Chad. "Watch the master."

Joel and Chad both rolled their eyes.

* * *

"They're here!" Chad announced about twenty minutes later, as he spotted the Chrysler 300 pulling into the driveway. "Everything ready?" he asked Dana.

"Good to go," Dana replied. "All right, everybody find a place to hide!" She and Carter ducked into the kitchen while Chad and Rachel ducked behind an armchair. Kelsey, Joel, and Angela ran up the stairs and hid around the corner.

The house went silent. Carter hid a grin as he heard the argument the Mitchell men were having as they came up the sidewalk. "….it was _not_ that big," Ryan was telling his dad.

"Ryan, when I held it up it hung to my elbow."

"Yeah, but you're short," Ryan countered. Kelsey heard a hand on the doorknob and gave Joel and Angela a thumbs up. The door opened and they heard Ryan and Bill come inside.

"SURPRISE!" Joel, Angela and Kelsey poked their heads around the corner while Chad, Carter and Dana came popping into the living room.

Ryan's jaw dropped. "What the hell's all this?" he asked, a smile playing on his face.

"Happy 21st birthday, little brother," Dana announced, giving her brother a hug.

He looked confused. "Yeah but...my birthday was six months ago."

"Well, you spent that birthday trying to kill us all," Kelsey spoke up. "Not exactly much of a celebration," she said, smiling.

"This is all…for me?" Ryan glanced around the room at the banner above the window, at the counters piled with junk food in the kitchen…the cake on the kitchen table with the silver candles ringing it. "I….wow, you guys."

In that moment, Bill Mitchell didn't see his 21-year old son. What he saw was every birthday that they'd missed since Ryan was eight inthe childlike expression on his face. He gave his son a hug. "Happy Birthday, Ryan," he said.

"Don't cry!" Joel yelled, and Ryan choked out a laugh.

"Come on," Kelsey said, taking his hand. "You've got presents."

"I-how?" Ryan asked as he sat down on the couch. Everyone positioned themselves around him, and Kelsey handed him a box. "You guys don't even know what I like." He frowned. " _I'm_ still not even sure what I like."

"So we went with easy stuff for the moment," Chad said, adjusting so his arm was around Rachel.

"And everything has gift receipts," Angela said, leaning against Joel. "So if you don't like it, you can take it back and get something that you do."

"And we won't be upset," Carter added. "We'll just learn along with you." He put an arm around Dana.

Ryan looked around. "Okay," he said, and tore the paper off the first box. "Nice theme, guys," he noted, pointing to the silver and black banner, and the silver wrapping paper.

"Yeah, that's Christmas paper from last year," Kelsey admitted.

Ryan grinned as he pulled out a gift card for the Mariner Bay Mall. "This way you can get something you like," Kelsey said. "I'll go with if you want." She grinned. "I love window shopping."

Ryan set the card aside next to him as Carter gave him another box. "This one's from Dana and me," he said. Ryan popped the top off the box and pulled out a mp3 player. "We pre-loaded it for you with stuff from our own music libraries, and I can download the software for you so you can add or delete what you want," Carter said.

"Cool," Ryan said. "That's awesome."

"Okay, my turn," Joel said, shoving a package at Ryan. Angela sighed. "For the record, I tried to talk him out of this," she told Ryan honestly.

"Um…okay?" Ryan tore the black paper off the box and burst out laughing as he pulled a Sky Cowboy hat out of the box. "Thanks, Joel." He put it on. It clashed horribly with his tanktop and board shorts. "How do I look?" he drawled in a fake southern accent.

"Can you take the accent back?" Bill asked, and everyone laughed.

"Here," Chad said, handing Ryan a small blue box. "Blue," Ryan noted. "Nice change." He grinned at Chad as he popped the lid off. "These are sports tickets," he said.

"Yup," Chad said. "Two tickets for the Mariner Bay Dolphins baseball games next season, the Mariner Bay Great Whites football this fall, and two tickets for the Fire vs. Law softball game next summer."

"Go Fire!" Carter cheered and Ryan laughed. "That's awesome Chad, thanks," he said. "I vaguely remember liking baseball, based on the décor in my room." He looked at his dad. "Which, you know, looks the same as it did when I was eight."

"And that's why my present to you is this," Bill said. He handed his son a silver box. Ryan opened it to find a gift card to a home improvement store. "I think it's about time you decided what you want on your walls, what colors you like…"

"I've been keeping pictures of things," Dana said softly. "So you can flip through them and decide if there's any you want on the walls, or if you just want to know what's been happening…" She shrugged. "Anyway, Dad and I decided that it's time for us to start thinking of you not as Ryan Mitchell, age 8-"

"But as Ryan Mitchell, age 21, my son," Bill said, and be _damned_ if he wasn't tearing up, "the Titanium Ranger…and the son I am very proud of."

Ryan jumped off the couch and gave his dad a hug and hugged him fiercely. "Thanks, Dad," he said.

He looked around the room. "Thanks, everybody." He blinked and looked at the floor, then up at everyone again. "All right, seriously, let's break out the cake!"


	10. Winning

The skate park was packed by the time Ryan showed up. Kelsey had told him she had to be there early to register and to meet her in front of the stands around two. He found a spot in the second to the top row and leaned back against the top row of metal bleachers, waiting. He studied the layout. He spotted a half pipe and a street course, watched as some of the contestants warmed up on the various obstacles on either rollerblades or skateboards. He was dressed similarly to the contestants in silver tear-away pants, black shorts, a white tanktop and black tennis shoes. The weather was warm and the sky was overcast and hazy, which added to the sweltering feeling. Ryan couldn't imagine trying to do anything today except sit in front of an air conditioner.

"Ryan!"

A blur of yellow at the bottom of the bleachers caught his attention and he looked down. Kelsey waved at him as she tugged off her helmet. He jogged down to meet her. Kelsey had a number pinned to her back, and she wore her trademark yellow rollerblades, gray workout pants and a black and yellow tanktop. "Hey Superstar," Ryan greeted her. "You feeling good?"

"Feeling _great_ ," Kelsey enthused. "I'm fifth in the half pipe and fifth on the obstacle course," she told him. "Keep an eye out."

"I'll be watching," Ryan gave her a mock salute. "You'll be awesome," he said seriously. "I've been watching the other guys and they're not bad but…I think you're better."

"Well, of course you think that," Kelsey teased. "It's true." Ryan heard a buzzer and Kelsey glanced over her shoulder. "That's my cue!" she said.

"Can I kiss you, or does that throw off your mojo?" Ryan asked her.

She bit her lip. "You can kiss me after I win," Kelsey decided, and then skated away. Ryan shook his head and went back to his seat in the bleachers. He saw Kelsey skate into line behind a guy in blue shorts and a black muscle shirt. He counted the contestants. There were eleven in the half pipe. The first two guys that went were really good, or at least, Ryan didn't see them fall, and their tricks looked pretty cool. He wasn't actually sure what to look for in terms of good or bad. They both got points in the eighties- Ryan guessed it was out of 100. The third guy fell on his run, but managed to pull off a pretty awesome grab and flip before the clock ran out. He got scores in the seventies. The fourth guy went, but Ryan didn't see any of his tricks because he was too busy watching Kelsey pump herself up. She had her headphones in and was nodding along with something in her head as she checked the laces on her skates and tightened her gloves and kneepads. He laughed because it was so typically her. There was no such thing as pressure in Kelsey Winslow's world. And then pretty soon, she was standing at the top of the pipe and the buzzer sounded.

It took Ryan the rest of the competition to notice that Kelsey was the only girl out there competing, and that her scores were just as good as any of the men. After all eleven half pipe people had gone, Kelsey was in third overall. And she'd pulled off some impressive aerials that other guys had fallen on, or under-rotated. The two pieces of the half pipe were taken apart and added into the street course. The announcer explained the rules, which sounded pretty similar to the half pipe. They had a time limit but they had to use as many of the obstacles as possible and pull some awesome tricks.

 _Using what was around them to their advantage and pulling together a plan in a short amount of time?_ Ryan grinned inwardly. _Sounds familiar. This'll be a piece of cake for Kelsey._ He settled in to watch.

Kelsey took her place at the end of the course and looked across to the other end, mentally planning her route through the course. The guy in front of her had scored in the low nineties. She knew she could do better.

"Our next contestant on the street course- Kelsey Winslow!" She could hear the crowd murmur-everyone knew who she was. Her identity as Lightspeed Rescue Yellow Ranger was no secret to the people in Mariner Bay. _Everyone wants to see what the Ranger can do…._ She grinned. _Then I won't disappoint!_

The buzzer sounded and she took off, flying through the course. The speed was nothing, it was _way_ slower than riding in Rescue 4. In her mind, this was just another battling fight, jumping over things, flipping, spinning…she choreographed the routine in her mind, at one point doing a handstand on the top of the half pipe like it was a batling's back, and then rotating so she could backflip off the top.

When she hit the finish line, she could hear the crowd murmuring. She spun around to face the scoreboard and waited.

When Kelsey's score of 98 came up, she could hear someone yelling over all the other people in the crowd. She looked up to see Ryan practically leaping over the people in front of him. He vaulted over the bleacher railing and ran across the course, reaching Kelsey and swinging her into the air, helmet, skates and all. "Yeah!" he was yelling. "That's my girl!"

Kelsey was more proud of that than the first place medal.

* * *

Dana ran down the stairs, nearly missing the bottom step as she heard the mailman come up the stairs outside. She flung open the door, nearly scaring the older man to death. "Sorry!" Dana said. She waited impatiently while he dug through his bag for the Mitchell mail. He handed Dana a stack of letters. Then he all but ran down the driveway. Dana couldn't blame him after she'd practically assaulted him. She flipped through the pile of letters. _Bill…bill…proposal for construction on the Aquabase….Miss Dana Mitchell._

The letter was addressed from Mariner Bay Medical Arts. She ripped it open. "Dear Miss Mitchell…we are pleased to announce-YES!"

From the kitchen, Bill Mitchell asked, "Dana? What's up?"

"I got in!" Dana yelled. "I got into medical school!" She was practically glowing. She'd had to go on hiatus when she became a Ranger, had missed the first chance to take the tests to get into the school, but had been studying like crazy in all her free time, never giving up on it. Well, except for that brief and crazy stint as a supermodel...she was still trying to forget that.

Bill's eyes lit up. "You did?!" Dana met him in the living room and handed her father the letter. Bill read through it quickly and then enveloped his daughter in a hug. "Dana, this is wonderful news!" he praised her. "Congratulations!" He smiled at her. "I knew you could do it."

"Hello?" Carter's voice sounded from the hall. He'd come to get Dana for his family picnic, and when he'd heard the yelling, he'd come straight into the house. "Anybody home?"

"Nope!" Dana called. "Just soon to be Doctor Dana Mitchell!"

"What?" Carter kicked off his shoes and met Dana and Bill in the living room. Dana didn't say any more, just thrust the letter at him. Carter only read the first line before he was sweeping Dana off her feet. "Dana!" He held her at arm's length. "I _knew_ you'd pass."

"I can't believe it!" Dana said. Carter hugged her again. "I can't believe it!"

"I can," Bill said. "You've wanted this since you were ten." He put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm so proud of you."

Carter smiled. He was proud of her too, but he didn't feel ready to say it in front of Bill Mitchell. That was an honor that should be reserved for her father. "We should go celebrate," Carter said, looking at Bill. "I can let my folks know-"

Bill opened his mouth to say something, but Dana beat him. "No," she told Carter. "Your parents are waiting." She looked at her father. "Maybe we could all do breakfast tomorrow?" she asked hopefully.

Bill nodded. "Sure," he said, and only Carter caught the hitch of disappointment in his voice. "Tomorrow. Carter, of course, you're invited."

"Thanks, Mr. Mitchell," Carter said. "I'll have Dana home around nine or so." He ushered Dana out of the house.

* * *

"I think you might wanna have a talk with your dad," Carter said as he pulled up to a stoplight.

"What?" Dana glanced at him sideways.

"He seemed a little put out that I was taking you out tonight. I think he really wanted to celebrate with you. You know, 'cause of the letter."

"Oh." Dana fiddled with her fingers. "I didn't mean to." She sighed. "Kelsey said the same sort of thing, that I haven't been hanging out with her as much."

"Yeah, I've been getting grief from Chad and Joel too," Carter admitted. He shrugged as the light turned green and he rolled forward. "I guess we've both been pretty wrapped up in each other huh."

"Yeah." Dana replied. "But I mean, we _are_ dating…"

"Well yeah," Carter agreed, "but I think we have to remember that we still have friends and family." He looked at her. "Trust me, I'd love to spend every waking minute with you when I'm not working but…"

"I know," Dana said. She closed her eyes. "Then I think... tomorrow I'm gonna spend the day with my dad and Ryan, if that's okay?"

"That's more than okay," Carter replied. "I should spend a little time with David before he goes back to school too. Once he gets into football practices and classes it'll be really hard to spend time with him because of my shifts." He made a left and pulled up next to a log cabin-style house. Two other cars were parked in the driveway. "This is my folks' place."

"Wow," Dana said. "It's awesome. My dad's always wanted a place like this." She let Carter lead her up the driveway and around to the backyard."So remind me again, what do your parents do?"

"Dad's a retired firefighter," Carter said. "He used to work out of Engine 1. Mom's a teacher. She teaches over at St. Matthew's. Fourth grade."

"Got it," Dana committed that to memory. "And then David's what….a freshman?"

Carter nodded. "Right. He starts in a couple weeks here." He frowned. "See, normally, for graduations and milestones and stuff we usually go on a family vacation, but well, we kinda had to postpone this summer."

For not the first time in her life, Dana silently cursed out the demons. _They really did ruin everything for a while there._

Carter was still talking, "-I think David was a little bummed. So, we're doing this barbecue thing instead."

"And it's just going to be me, you and your family?" Dana stopped. "Carter….I feel like I'm imposing."

Carter took her hand. "First of all, it's also my aunt and uncle and my cousins. Kiara and Kristopher are David's age. Second of all, it was my Mom's idea to invite you, and third, you just got back into med school, which is a milestone, which is what we're celebrating, so quit worrying and come on." He pulled her around the corner. A big wide deck stretched out into the yard, which was surrounded by big trees. Smoke billowed up from a grill on the deck and metal lantern lights were strung around the deck railing. Three teenagers- two boys and a girl- and an older guy were tossing a football around. "Hi Dork!" one of the boys said. He came over to them, football in hand. Dana could see the family resemblance immediately.

"Hey brat," Carter replied, ruffling the boy's spiked hair. "Staying outta trouble?"

David Grayson shrugged. "No way," he said, in typical teenager fashion. He looked at Dana. "Is this your girlfriend?"

"Yup," Carter said. "David, this is Dana."

David studied her. "She's hot," he told his brother. Dana's jaw dropped. Then, he ran back to join his cousins and uncle.

"Well," Carter said, smiling at her shocked expression. "I think he approves."

"Oh good, one down," Dana said under her breath as Carter led her up onto the deck. A man with Carter's eyes and hair was flipping burgers on the grill, while two women were chatting at the table under the umbrella.

"Hi kiddo," the man said, noticing Carter.

"Hey, Dad," Carter said. "Um, Dana, this is my dad, Tom."

Tom Grayson had Carter's blue eyes and his smile. He wore a faded blue t-shirt with a pocket on the left chest that had the logo for Mariner Bay Engine 1 on the front, and was red-faced from the heat coming off the grill and the weather. "Hi, Dana. It's nice to meet you. You look so different without the helmet on!"

Dana looked at Carter as Carter rolled his eyes. "He said the same thing to Chad and Joel," he promised her. "Old joke, Dad."

"Hey, you don't mess with the classics," Tom pointed out, and Carter shook his head. "And then, this is my mom, Lisa, and her sister Laura," he said, pointing to the two women at the table.

Lisa Grayson had straight brown hair. She was sitting next to a woman who looked just like her. The difference was in their clothing. Lisa wore blue jeans and a purple t-shirt while her sister wore a red sleeveless t-shirt and cotton navy blue shorts. "Twins run in the family," Carter explained as his mom stood up to come meet Dana. "You'll notice Kiara and Kristopher," Carter nodded to his two cousins. Kiara, currently trying to block a pass from her father to her brother, had brown hair in a pixie cut, and Kristopher, trying to fend her off, had a short buzz cut. "They skipped my generation obviously," he added. "Since I've got a few years on David."

"Well we thought you were gonna be enough of a handful," Lisa teased her son. She looked at Dana and winked. "And then we decided he was all right so we had another one." She held out her hand. "Hi, you must be Dana. Carter's told us a lot about you."

"Oh, r-really?" Dana stammered.

"All good," Carter cut in quickly, and Dana breathed again. "Dana, come on and sit down," Lisa said. "Carter tells me you applied for medical school?"

"And she got her letter today," Carter confirmed. Lisa's eyes lit up. "That's wonderful!" she enthused. "Congratulations, Dana, that's amazing." She led Dana over to the table, chatting away. Seeing that Dana was fine, Carter went out onto the lawn to join his brother, cousins, and his Uncle Kyle. After a couple of passes, he looked up to see Dana laughing with his mom and aunt.

He grinned. _I knew they'd love her._

The distraction was all his little brother needed to tackle his big brother around the waist and pull him to the ground.


	11. New Developments

"So how does the first place feel?" Ryan asked Kelsey over dinner.

Kelsey grinned, kicking her feet on the barstool. "Feels pretty awesome." Ryan grinned and took a bite of his pizza. The two of them were sitting at a little sports bar and grill about three blocks from the pier. Ryan had gotten them seats at a high table on the patio overlooking the bay. Top 40 played over the speakers inside the building, but outside, it was just voices, waves and birds. They were splitting a plate of appetizers-another test to see what Ryan liked and didn't like. Sampler platters were becoming his favorite thing.

"You like, skated circles around a lot of those guys," Ryan said, digging a mozzarella stick into a plastic cup of marinara sauce. "How'd you get so good?"

Kelsey shrugged. "Practice," she said. "I used to come down here and jump off of benches and stuff, and then sometimes, if it wasn't busy, I'd get up on the half pipe and practice." She shrugged. "My parents didn't like me coming down here by myself, but they're not really into the whole skating thing, so I came alone."

"Tell me more about your parents," Ryan said. "I don't think I even knew you had them."

Kelsey snagged another fried pickle from the basket. "Well, they're divorced," she said. "My mom lives here in town. My dad moved to this place called Blue Bay Harbor, it's down the coast a little."

Ryan winced. "Sorry," he told her. "I didn't mean-"

"It's okay, Ryan," Kelsey assured him. "They split when I was like ten. And honestly, I'm glad I only had one of them to worry about during all that-that stuff, last year," she said.

"Yeah, I'm sure," Ryan said. He stared out at the water. She hadn't meant to, but Kelsey had unintentionally reminded him again of his evil past. The nightmares were still coming, and he couldn't understand it. He kept hoping that all the good he'd done, all the good he _was_ doing with the new Aquabase and dating Kelsey, would erase them, but he couldn't shake it.

"You know, you never really answered my question before," Kelsey said after a moment.

"Which question?" Ryan asked, turning his gaze back to her.

"Where did you go last year, Ryan?" Kelsey asked him.

"I-" Ryan paused for a moment. Apparently there was no getting away from it tonight. "Well, I told you I took off into the high desert. I went looking for something…anything, that could tell us how to beat the demons. And…." He shrugged. "I needed some time to think. I'd been under Diabolico's thumb so long…" He absentmindedly played with his straw. "I'd never felt _freedom_ before, Kelsey, that feeling I bet you get when you're running in the mountains, or when you're doing a tailgrab on the halfpipe." He looked at her. "I needed to have some time on my own to just….breathe. Time to sort out what I thought about my family, and my new-" He searched for the word- "responsibilities, I guess?" He fished an ice cube out of his glass with his straw and tossed it over the side of the railing. "All of a sudden I had a dad and a sister that _didn't_ hate me, and a mentor I was trying to destroy, _and_ there was the whole almost dying thing." He looked at her. "Soul searching of the major kind," he finally said, trying to sum it up.

"I understand that," Kelsey said. She looked at him and grabbed his hand under the table. "We missed you. We were worried for you."

"I know, and I felt bad just taking off like I did, but I was afraid that someone would try to talk me into staying."

"We would have," Kelsey said. "Carter would have. Captain Mitchell would have. You sister would have."

"I know they would've," Ryan replied. "But it wouldn't have been healthy for anybody." He shrugged. "Besides, you guys had everything under control. You didn't need me or the Titanium Ranger."

"Yeah, we did." Kelsey said. "You have _no_ idea what happened while you were gone."

"I seriously doubt you needed the evil Titanium Ranger," Ryan bit.

"No, we didn't," Kelsey agreed, and Ryan looked up sharply. "What we needed was Ryan, the Titanium Ranger." She poked an ice cube in her glass. "The good guy."

Ryan snorted. "Who's that guy?" he asked her.

"The one sitting across from me," Kelsey said quietly. "The one who helped us pull Carter out of the Shadow World. The one who helped us defeat the Queen of Demons. The one who found a way to rebuild his father's dream." She reached across the table and grabbed his hand. "The one who needs to know that he's _not_ evil anymore. He's good. All the way through. And no matter what the nightmares tell him..." She looked him in the eye. "That guy is gone. He's locked away in the Shadow World with the rest of the demons, and he'll never get out again."

Ryan sighed. "You have a lot of faith in me, Kelsey."

"Someone has to," Kelsey told him matter-of-factly. "You don't have any in yourself."

He glanced off into the ocean, past her head. "I'm trying," he told her.

"I know," Kelsey replied. "And if you need someone to remind you of how awesome you are..." She shrugged. "You've got my number."

He cracked a smile. "You're something else, Kelsey."

She grinned. "I know," she said. "Something awesome."

"Yeah?" Ryan said. He tossed some cash on the table to cover their bill and a tip, then pulled Kelsey out of her chair. "Are you as awesome on your feet if you're not in rollerblades?"

"I doubt it," Kelsey replied. "Can _you_ dance?"

He thought about it. "Uh...no."

"Well," Kelsey laughed, tugging him out the door and down the boardwalk, "this ought to be interesting."

* * *

Carter met Bill Mitchell at the new Aquabase site on a sunny morning. He'd just come off a shift at the firehouse, and it had been a long one. Apparently, it was evidenced somewhere in his eyes or his face, because the first thing Bill asked him was, "Rough shift?"

Carter nodded and yawned. "Sorry. Yeah, it was. Apartment fire, house fire, house fire, and then we responded to a car wreck on the 405."

"Everybody make it okay?" Bill asked. The look on Carter's face confirmed what he'd figured. "I'm sorry, son," he said. "It doesn't get any easier."

"I'd forgotten about that part," Carter admitted, scuffing the pavement with his boot. "It's hard to stay unattached. I spent a lot of last night talking to a little girl in a car that looked more like an accordion, and when we got her out…" He shook his head and looked at Bill. "Well, anyway, what did you need? Your message last night said to meet you here. Ryan said that this was gonna be the new home of Lightspeed?"

Bill nodded. "On the surface, anyway. If I can get permission to do it, we'll probably build out into and under the water again too."

"I always liked that," Carter said. "Even if driving through a glass tube and seeing fish _was_ a little odd."

Bill smiled. "I also wanted to talk to you too," he admitted. "About Dana."

Carter winced and leaned against the hood of his truck. "I was afraid of that," he said.

"Well, we're on the same page then," Bill replied, his tone turning serious. "Carter, I need to know what your intentions are with my daughter."

"If she'll have me after she becomes Doctor Mitchell," Carter said. "I was planning on asking her to marry me." _No sense in not beating around the bush,_ he thought. And then he jumped ahead. "Sir, I know that Dana and I have been spending a lot of time together lately, and I just wanted to tell you I'm sorry. I know you guys haven't had much chance at being a real family since the end of Project Lightspeed." When Bill didn't say anything, he added, "Dana and I talked about it and we're going to try to balance our time a little better." He shook his head. "I guess we're still in the novelty phase of this whole relationship."

To his surprise, Bill chuckled softly. "I remember those days, Carter, better than you think."

Carter looked up at his childhood hero. "I just don't want to disappoint you, sir," he told Bill honestly. "I love Dana," he added, and it felt _so_ good to say it out loud. "And you, and Ryan by extension of that. You're family, and I know how important that is."

"Carter," Bill said, stepping up to him. "You've been family since your first day at Lightspeed." He gave the younger man a hug. "And if I had to choose any man in California to be Dana's husband, it would be you."

Carter smiled. "That means a lot, sir," he told him. He let go of Bill and stepped back.

"Carter, if you're gonna marry my daughter some day, you might want to start calling me 'Bill,'" he reminded him again. He looked at him. "That's an order."

Carter laughed. "Yes, sir." He looked back over at the warehouse, then to Bill. "Si-Bill, why did you have me meet you here?"

"Carter, I'm looking for a man of your leadership talents. As you know, Lightspeed was more than just the Ranger project, although that was a large part of it. The other parts were research and development for science. Things that would make an impact on the community, on the environment." Bill looked at the old warehouse. "Lightspeed is still trying to save the world."

"But where does that put me?" Carter asked.

"I'm looking for a safety control officer," Bill said. "Someone who knows the policies and procedures for evacuating the building, for first aid…someone who can correct a safety hazard if needed." He looked at him. "Between Lightspeed Rescue and your firefighting background…you've got all the qualifications."

Carter looked down at his feet. "Sir, I-"

"We're a long way from completion here and I know your loyalty is to Ladder 4 right now." He leaned up against his car. "I can guarantee you at least, that with the safety officer job, there wouldn't be any nights like you had last night."

"That would be nice," Carter said. _That would be really nice_.

"Think about it," Bill urged. "You're my first choice. The job is yours until you tell me you don't want it."

Carter nodded thoughtfully. "I will," he said. "In the meantime…everybody from Lightspeed has talked about it and we're all willing to pitch in with the remodeling."

Bill smiled. "I'm grateful for that," he said. "You don't know what it will mean to get this back up and running."

"I know it'll mean a lot of good," Carter replied. "Whatever I can do to help, I'll do."

Bill grinned. "Well, if you know anybody that can use a hammer, nails and paint…"

Carter returned the smile. "As luck would have it….I do."


	12. A Little R&R

_Three weeks later_

Green Day blared from the speakers in Angela Fairweather's convertible, blended with the Latin guitar riffs rattled off by Santana from Bill Mitchell's Chrysler 300. The two mixed perfectly over the chaos at the Lightspeed base. Chad grabbed a water bottle from the back of his Chevy Impala and downed half of it in one gulp. Then, he tossed it through the back window and bounced back to join Angela at the front of the building dumping woodchips into the bare area in front of the warehouse. Angela spread them around, being sure to watch out for the ferns and aloe plants she'd just planted. "Is Rachel coming today?" she asked him.

Chad grinned, the goofy grin he got on his face when his girlfriend was brought up. "She's actually working at the Marine Park today," he told her. "Turns out she's the one that took my old spot with the orcas after I left for Lightspeed." He picked up another bag of the woodchips and dumped them into the planter. "Her last show of the day is pretty soon though, so I'll go get her and bring her over. We can use the extra hands."

"She's good for you, Chad," Angela said. "I'm really happy for you."

"Thanks," he responded. They went back to landscaping, but the goofy grin didn't leave Chad's face for a good half hour.

Kelsey and Ryan walked a plate of glass through the wide open space that once had double doors for the warehouse entrance. Inside, they handed it off to one of the workers who installed it in the window frame. Kelsey gave Ryan a high five, and then they were off to get the primer for the stenciled LIGHTSPEED lettering above the door. "Have I told you lately what an awesome idea this was?" Kelsey asked Ryan.

"I think that was..." Ryan ticked off on his fingers, "the twelfth time? In ten minutes?"

"Well, I'm gonna say it again," she told him as they reached her little Honda and pulled the paint from the back. "This was a great idea. Your dad looks _so_ happy." She reached for his hand. "This is a _good_ thing, Ryan," she told him, emphasizing the good.

"It _feels_ good," Ryan responded as he popped the lid on one of the cans. "And, by the way," he added, lowering his voice, "I haven't had a nightmare in about a week."

Kelsey smiled. "I knew they'd go away once you realized how awesome you are," she told him. She flipped her ponytail. "Not as awesome as me though," she said.

Ryan grinned. "You _are_ pretty awesome..." He trailed off as he stuck a finger in the white primer on the lid of the can and poked her in the nose with it. "You don't _look_ so awesome now!"

"Ryan!" Kelsey cried, as she grabbed a paintbrush and swiped it through the lid, running after him as he took off toward the warehouse. They sprinted past Bill and Dana, taunting each other with the paint. "Hey! Take it outside!" Bill yelled. He looked over at Dana and shook his head, chuckling. "Kids," he teased.

"What time did Carter say he'd be here?" Dana asked her father again as she swept the debris out of what used to be the reception area. She leaned against the broom, brushing dust off her tanktop and jeans. Her thick gloves just left more dirt on them, and she gave up. There was no point in trying to look good for when Carter showed up.

Bill hauled a wheelbarrow of concrete, glass and wooden framework that had jolted loose in the fire toward the door and then turned to Dana, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand. "He should be here soon. They were just washing trucks at Ladder 4 and he said he was off after that." He grinned. "You wanna trade off? I'll sweep and you can haul rocks?"

Dana stuck her tongue out at him. "No way," she said.

Joel appeared in the doorway with an empty wheelbarrow. "Y'know, Cap, I think that's a lighter load than the last one I hauled outta here," he said, pointing to the wheelbarrow.

Bill and Dana exchanged looks. "You know Joel, I think you're right." He walked up to Joel and handed him his gloves and his shovel. "I leave it in your capable hands," he said, and disappeared outside.

Joel's jaw dropped, and he looked over at Dana. "What just happened?" he asked her.

She grinned. "Your turn," she said, nodding to the shovel and then returned to sweeping.

"I-" Joel shook his head. "Nicely played, Cap, nicely played."

* * *

About ten minutes later, Dana heard sirens. Her head shot up at the same time as Joel's and both of them ran for the door. A fire truck was pulling up outside, lights and sirens screaming.

"What's going on?" Joel asked Chad. He craned his neck and looked up at the upper floors.

"Is there a fire?" Ryan asked, looking around. The skies were clear.

Someone opened the door of the truck and jumped out in a white t-shirt and blue jeans.

Carter waved. "Hey guys!" he announced. He gestured to the guys getting out of the truck behind him. "Thought we could use some more help!" Zach Anderson and a couple other guys stood in work clothes, jeans and boots with smiles on their faces.

Bill Mitchell walked up to the group. "Good to see you, Carter," he said. "Hey guys," he told his crew.

"Put us to work, Captain," Zach said with a nod. "Where can we help?"

"You wanna help haul rock?" Joel Rawlings yelled from behind them. Carter rolled his eyes and Bill laughed.

* * *

Midafternoon, Joel Rawlings declared a break and got down on one knee and proposed to Angela Fairweather. Everyone, including Angela, was in shock. The normally flamboyant Sky Cowboy had picked out a simple ring and with little fanfare, had just dropped to one knee. Joel explained, "I wanted to take her up in the plane and propose there, but she, for some reason, doesn't wanna fly with me."

"I can't imagine why that might be," Angela muttered, but she was smiling, her face glowing. The ring sparkled on her hand.

"So the next best thing was to do it around all of our friends," Joel finished, holding her close with a side-arm hug.

"Mark your calendars for like a couple weeks from now," Angela told them.

"That's fast," Kelsey remarked. She exchanged a look with Dana, whose mouth was agape. They had been planning their weddings since they were seven. No way could they pull it off in two weeks. But then, Angela had always been pretty organized.

"We want to get married as soon as possible," Angela explained. "My brother Clark leaves for a work trip in Austria at the end of the month, and he's all the family I have-"

"And ya'll know my history," Joel finished. Joel had grown up with his grandparents. "Anyway, we'll get back to you with the time and the place."

Angela checked her watch. "And we've gotta go," she apologized. "Sorry, but my brother's on his break and I want to show him the ring in person!" She grabbed Joel and dragged him toward her convertible.

"Using a proposal to get out of working," Chad teased. "Nice move, Joel."

* * *

"So that's her, huh Carter?" Zach asked later. The younger crew had gone out to a bar by the pier after putting in a full day at the warehouse. He pointed with his drink at Dana, Rachel, and Kelsey who were sitting at the bar, heads bent together whispering back and forth.

Carter nodded. "That's her," he confirmed.

Zach and another guy, Tyler Walsh, exchanged glances. "Wow, man. She's a knockout," Zach said. Zach had seen her a couple fleeting times, but for the most part, Carter Grayson's girlfriend had been a mystery.

"Smart, funny, sexy…." Tyler rattled off Dana's best qualities as Chad and Ryan listened. Both knew that Tyler was treading dangerous waters, and settled in for the ride. "Dude you're so damn lucky."

Carter glanced at Ryan as he said, "Yeah, I am." Ryan offered him a small smile.

"Does she have a sister? Or a clone?" Tyler asked. When Zach elbowed him, he shrugged. "What? Come on, Grayson, throw a poor guy a bone."

"Watch it, man," Chad said. "She's a friend." Carter moved to say something, but Tyler droned on. "Yeah, speaking of," he continued, totally oblivious, "does she have a hot friend? What about the hot brunette she's sitting with up there?"

"She's got a _brother_ ," Ryan hinted. Zach and Tyler looked at the younger man. Ryan stared daggers back at Tyler. "Also, the girl she's sitting with up there? The hot brunette? That's _my_ girlfriend."

It felt weird to say it out loud. But it felt _good_.

"And before you say anything, the redhead's going out with me." Chad added as Tyler went for his third strike. "Take a walk," Chad suggested, his tone implying it was more than a suggestion. Tyler opened his mouth like he wanted to say something to the pilot, but Chad glared him into getting up and walking over to the bathrooms.

"Sorry about him," Zach apologized. "Too much smoke I think."

"Really?" Chad countered. "I thought it was more like a case of too much _hot air_." Zach laughed.

The conversation moved on to a story about a couple of their call-outs earlier in the week. Ryan settled back. Guy talk was new territory for him, and he didn't have anything to contribute to the technical conversation. He looked over, saw Chad roll his eyes. _Nice to know I'm not the only one this doesn't make any sense to._

"I'll be back," Carter said. He got up, drink in hand, and made his way over to the girls. "Hey," he said with a smile, "can I borrow Dana?"

"Only if you bring her back," Kelsey ribbed him. Rachel grinned. Carter took a confused Dana by the hand and they walked down the back stairs of the patio and out onto the beach. The wind had picked up but the night was still warm.

"What's all this about, Carter?" Dana asked him as they walked over the shifting sand.

"Nothing," Carter said quickly, almost too quickly. Dana stopped short.

"You're a horrible liar, Carter Grayson," she accused. She studied him. His normally serious face seemed even more serious tonight. "What's the matter?" she asked worriedly. "Is it your ankle? Is everything okay from today?"

Carter gave her a reassuring smile. "Dana, really, I promise. It's nothing. One of the guys was saying some stuff and…I just needed to get out for a little bit. Get some air."

"Carter," Dana pointed out, waving a hand at the beach, the sky, and the ocean, "we're outside."

"Still felt a little tight," Carter admitted.

"What were they saying?" Dana asked him.

He shrugged. "Nothing that's worth repeating."

"And 'nothing' is what bothered you enough to leave them?" Dana asked. She smiled. "Carter, you _really_ are a horrible liar."

"I know," he said after a moment. He plopped down in the sand. "I just…" He stared out to sea. "Just was reminded tonight how lucky I am," he said finally.

"How's that?" Dana asked, taking a seat in the sand next to him. She wrapped an arm around his waist and leaned into his chest.

"I never could figure out why you liked me," Carter admitted. Dana tilted her head to look at him curiously. "I mean, you're in medical school. You could have any guy there with a doctorate and a convertible...yet you're dating a guy who drives a truck on its last legs and lives in an apartment-"

"Why wouldn't I like you?" Dana interrupted. "Carter, the first day I met you, you were coming out of a burning building with a little girl in your arms. You were covered in sweat and dirt and grime, but you were a hero. It was easy for me to see why Dad had picked you as the leader."

"Maybe easy to you," Carter muttered. "Took me a few weeks."

Dana chuckled. "True," she recalled. "That just made me like you more, you know. You weren't cocky, you weren't arrogant. You had doubts. It made you human." She looked at him. "I could date a guy with a doctorate and a convertible, but he'd probably put my career on the back burner and I'd only get to see him for an hour a day. I love _you,_ Carter."

Carter blinked. "What?" He looked at her. "You love me?"

"Well, _duh_ ," Dana said. "Of _course_ I do, Carter," she said. She smiled, then asked him, "Do you remember Heather?"

Carter closed his eyes. "Wait, our "Junior Ranger"?" he asked. "That Heather?"

Dana nodded. "The second you brought her into the Aquabase with Kai and Maya, I knew. When she came up to you and wouldn't let you go without her, and you let her come along…." She shrugged. "There's something about guys and little kids….all I could think was what a good dad you'd be to some kid someday, and I loved the thought of you being the dad to _my_ kids and..." She shrugged. "That was the day I knew I loved you, I just never got a chance to say it."

Carter processed that. "I love you too," he told her. "I think I loved you from the second I saw you the day you recruited me. I think I was just too scared to say it, but I sure wanted to."

"It was worth the wait," she told him. "I love you, late shifts, early morning call outs and crappy pickup truck to boot."

"I love you, ten syllable medical terms and crazy hours to boot," he responded. "I wouldn't have you any other way."

The words were out in the open. "I love you" had been said. They were silent as they both contemplated the meaning of the words and the implications. So they sat on the beach, staring into the ocean. And then pretty soon, Carter was kissing Dana and she was kissing him back and the stars went black and the ocean went silent and it was just the two of them and nothing else.


	13. Rollercoaster Ride

"Morning!" Dana breezed downstairs at 9 a.m. the next morning dressed for the day in jeans and a purple tanktop. Ryan and Bill were at the table, Ryan in drawstring sweats and bare chested; Bill in jeans and a button down shirt. She floated to the refrigerator and pulled out a gallon of orange juice, set it on the counter and reached for the open loaf of bread. She was humming as she made breakfast.

Ryan and Bill exchanged glances over the top of Bill's paper. Ryan tried to hide a smile. He knew why Dana was in such a good mood-well, not really, but he had a guess that it had something to do with her and Carter disappearing from the bar the night before.

"Did you have a good night last night?" Bill asked. "Ryan said you guys went to a bar?"

Dana nodded, pulling butter and apricot jelly from the fridge. "Yeah, that little sports bar near the pier-I forget the name of the place."

"I know the one," Bill said. "Were you out late? I thought I heard Ryan come home around eleven or so," he added casually, flipping the page in his paper.

Dana shot her brother a Look. Ryan raised a hand as if to say, _You're on your own, Sis._

"Carter and I went for a walk on the beach," Dana admitted, glaring at her brother, who was practically shaking trying not to laugh. The toast popped up and Dana fished a slice out.

"Yeah?" Bill said. "How was that?"

Dana slapped her toast down on the plate. "It was fine, thanks for asking," she snapped. "Geez, you'd think you worked for the police instead of the fire department." With that, she disappeared up to her room.

Bill flipped another page in the paper. "She makes it so easy," he told Ryan, and now, Ryan did laugh. From upstairs, they heard, "I _heard_ that!"

* * *

She was still pretending to be mad at the two men later when she came downstairs to return her glass and plate. "I hate you both," she informed them.

Her father was loading the dishwasher. "No you don't," he told her as he closed the dishwasher and started it. "You love us."

"Hey, what are we doing today?" Ryan asked. "Dad's not working, your observations aren't 'til tonight…" He sighed, resting an elbow on the table. "I don't have a job…."

"You'll find something," Bill said. "You're young."

"We should do something together," Ryan declared. "We haven't done anything together as a family in a while."

"Didn't you guys just go fishing?" Dana asked, standing in the doorway.

Ryan rolled his eyes. _"Together_ as a family, as in the _three_ of us," he stressed. Then he brightened. "Hey, we should go to that amusement park south of town!"

"No way," Bill said instantly. "Last time I was there…bad things happened." He inwardly cringed at the memory of being hypnotized and almost destroying his own base.

"Just stay away from the hypnotist, Dad" Dana said, shaking a finger at her father. She looked at her brother. "And that's actually not a bad idea, Ryan." She sighed dramatically. "I _suppose_ I could tolerate the two of you for a few hours."

"Oooh," Ryan gave his sister a mock bow. "Thank you, Your Grace, for stepping out with us lowly commoners."

Dana grabbed a dishtowel off the counter and smacked him in the arm, but she couldn't hold back a smirk.

* * *

"One more!" Ryan begged as they stepped off the coaster. His hair was spiked in the front from the wind and he was practically bouncing from one foot to the other.

That was one of the things that Bill Mitchell remembered about his son at a young age-Ryan had always been a thrill-seeker. Already they'd had popcorn and hot dogs, lost four times at the ring toss, and gone on the coaster. Ryan had laughed more than Bill figured he'd laughed since returning to Mariner Bay. He was enjoying watching his son relive his childhood. And, Bill was having fun too, watching his children interact with each other. There were a few moments where things were a bit awkward, but they disappeared almost as quickly. _It feels good, being a family again,_ Bill thought to himself.

"I think one's my limit," Dana said, shaking her head. She looked at her father. "You guys should go." She held up the camera. "I'll take a picture of you guys when you come around the curve."

Ryan grabbed his dad's arm. "Come on, Dad!" he said and pulled a hesitant Bill back toward the line.

Dana grinned as she found a bench that faced the coaster and waited. The day was beautiful, sunshine, a light breeze off the ocean and the smell of saltwater mixed with cotton candy, butter and fair food. It was a great day to just relax and do nothing. She'd been under a lot of stress with med school and returning to be an EMT, on top of balancing her time helping her father with the Aquabase and her relationship with Carter.

Pink rangers were known to be the heart of a team. Dana was feeling the emotional stress, and she wasn't even wearing the uniform anymore. So it was nice to sit and do nothing but enjoy watching her brother subject their father to another stomach-turning ride on the old wooden rollercoaster known across the county as "The Monster." She was amazed it was still standing. It seemed like everything else its height or taller had been wrecked.

Her mind drifted. Carter _loved_ her! Holy cow! And she loved him back. A family walked by-mom, dad, little girl, and suddenly it became her, and Carter and a little blonde haired girl with Carter's eyes. The little girl held a flower made of balloons and wore a little red sundress with ladybugs. They stopped in front of the cotton candy vendor and the little girl tugged on her mother's jeans. "I want one," she whispered, her voice carrying on the breeze.

"You just had one!" her mother teased her.

"I know," she responded. "Just one more?" She flashed a pair of big blue puppy dog eyes at her father.

"One more won't kill her," the husband said, poking the little girl on the nose. The little girl giggled, and Dana smiled. She could _definitely_ see Carter being wrapped around a little girl's finger.

 _It was a nice image_ , she thought.

"Dana!"

In an instant, the family blinked back to their own identities and Dana looked up to see Ryan and her father coming toward her. Her father looked a little green. "Uh oh," Dana said, standing. "Do I need to call Wilson and Grant?" she asked, referring to her EMT team.

"I'll be fine," Bill replied slowly. "Just need to get some solid ground under me."

"We were in the front car," Ryan enthused. "Which I thought was awesome….Dad not so much."

"Yeah," Dana said, helping her father sit down. "I can see that."

Ryan was looking around the park, taking everything in deciding what to do next, when his eye landed on a sign on a small building.

HELP WANTED. "I'll be back!" Ryan said, dodging around the bench and jogging over to the building. A wiry old man was sitting behind the desk. A little radio was playing an old Beatles song and he had a small fan going inside to combat the heat. "Excuse me, sir," he said. The little old man looked up.

"Can I help you?" he asked, surveying Ryan's spiky hair, silver chain choker and black shirt. Ryan winced. _Okay, so I didn't exactly come dressed for a job interview..._

"I uh, I see you're hiring," he said. "What kind of help are you looking for?" he asked.

"Jack of all trades," he responded. "Ticket punching, ride operation, maintenance…."

Ryan thought about it for a split second. "I'd like to apply," he said. "Do you have an application?"

"Son, I don't worry about applications. People lie on applications. You want the job and you're willing to work, you're hired." The man frowned. "It's only part time, you know," he said. "And I can't help you with health insurance or anything like that."

"That's okay," Ryan said quickly. "I just need something to help save for school."

"School, eh," the man said, sounding interested. "Whatcha going to school for?"

Ryan shook his head. "I dunno yet, sir," he admitted. "I'm hoping it'll just sort of hit me someday what I want to do with my life."

The old man smiled. "Well, while you're thinkin' about it…" he offered him a hand. "Good to have you on board, son."

Ryan grinned. "Thank you!" He glanced around back at the roller coaster. "I do have one question," he asked.

"'s that?"

He pointed at the rollercoaster. "Do I get unlimited rides?"

* * *

The doorbell rang at the Mitchell house the next Saturday at 8:30 AM. Bleary eyed in his running gear, Ryan stumbled down the stairs and fumbled for his shoes. "I'm comin'!" he yelled through the door. He pulled the door open and was greeted with someone who was _not_ Kelsey.

"Carter?" Ryan blinked a couple of times in the morning sun. Carter Grayson stood on his doorstep in a pair of jeans and a blue button down. "Hey," he said. "What're you doing here?"

Ryan could tell when someone was nervous or lying. Apart from the combat skills, it was something useful he'd picked up from Diabolico, and life-saving when you lived in the Shadow World, where everyone had an ulterior motive for something. And Carter was at least nervous. "Dana's already at the hospital," Ryan said. "I guess it's a teaching day or something."

"Okay," Carter said. "I mean, I'm actually here to see you."

Ryan grinned. "Does my sister know you swing that way?" He winked at his sister's boyfriend. "'Cause I won't tell Kelsey…she might think it's hot."

Carter pulled Ryan onto the front porch and put him in a headlock. "Okay, okay, I give!" Ryan laughed as Carter let him go. Ryan straightened his shirt out. "Seriously, man, what's up? You're all kinds of crazy this morning."

Carter took a deep breath and let it out. "I ah….I just…" He sat down on the railing. Ryan leaned against the house. "Ryan, I want to ask your sister to marry me," he said, the words spilling out.

Ryan's eyes widened and he broke into a grin. "Carter, that's awesome," he proclaimed.

Carter looked up. "What?" He hadn't expected it to be that easy.

"I said, that's awesome," Ryan repeated. He rolled forward and clapped Carter on the shoulder. "It's about time, man."

"Y-You're okay with this?" Carter asked incredulously.

Ryan glanced at him with a 'duh' look. "Yeah, man," Ryan said. "I am." He stepped back and leaned against the house again. "You're practically family anyway," he said. "I knew you liked her, I could tell from the second I saw you guys together. And Dad totally likes you, so…"

Carter smiled and relaxed. "So you think your dad'd be OK with me asking his permission?"

Ryan nodded. "I do," he said."In fact, he's home…if you wanna ask him now…"

Carter paled. "Oh. I uh…I wasn't thinking-"

Ryan was amazed. Normally so self-assured, Carter was a wreck. He couldn't help it. He started laughing.

"Well, I'm glad you find this funny," Carter moaned, burying his face in his hands.

"I'm sorry, man," Ryan apologized. "I just...you'd think you were going to war or something with the way you're acting. All you're doin' is asking my dad for permission to marry my sister."

"'All'," Carter groaned. "Yeah, you make it sound like I'm ordering fries at Burger King."

"Fries sound good," a new voice said, and Carter jerked.

Bill Mitchell poked his head out of the doorway. "It's a little early for salt and grease though. So….someone gonna tell me why we're discussing fries at 7:30 in the morning?" he asked, stepping out onto the patio and letting the screen door slide shut behind him.

Ryan stood up. "That's my exit cue," he said, noticing Kelsey coming up the block. He vaulted over the side of the railing and jogged down the grass to meet up with Kelsey.

Bill looked at Carter. Carter looked at him, and then looked down at his shoes. "Carter?" Bill prompted.

Carter sighed. "Sir," he stammered. "I'd like to….to ask your permission….to marry your daughter."

"Okay," Bill said, to Carter's surprise.

"What?" Carter was dumbfounded.

"Carter," Bill said, amused, "what did you expect me to say? No?"

"I-" Carter broke down into nervous laughter. "I guess I didn't expect it to be that easy."

"Oh, it won't be," Bill assured him. "Marriage is the toughest thing you'll ever do. It's more work than fighting a thousand apartment fires or a million Batlings."

"I'm up to the challenge," Carter told him.

Bill smiled knowingly. "Yes sir, I believe you are."

"Yes!" a voice yelled from somewhere down near the curb. Kelsey poked her head up from around Carter's truck, and Ryan stood awkwardly next to her. Carter and Bill stared at them. "You guys were there the whole time?" Carter yelled.

"Well, I mighta mentioned to Kelsey why you were here…" Ryan shrugged.

"And she wanted to hear everything!" Kelsey grinned.

"Don't you guys have somewhere to be?" Bill asked them.

Ryan yanked on Kelsey's ponytail. "C'mon, Kels...you know you'll get the whole story from Dana or me later anyway..." He pushed her down the block and took off after her.

Bill gave Carter a hug. After checking to see if his son and Kelsey were still lurking in the bushes, he said, "You know, I wasn't too sure at first I wanted you and Dana to start going out."

"Sir?" Carter questioned.

"Bill," Bill reminded him yet again. "It was nothing personal against you. Pure selfishness on my part," he said. "Call it a dad thing. You know, I'd spent a year having to be my daughter's boss instead of her father. I'd just gotten my son back. And then the two of you started spending time together, and I'll admit it-I was jealous."

Carter nodded. "We felt bad," he admitted. "That's why we tried to divide our time a little better," he added. "I know how excited the three of you were to be a normal family."

" _Normal_ is in the eye of the beholder," Bill responded. "But you made Dana happy, and having her happy and taken care of is my number one goal as a father so..." He smiled. "It'll be a pleasure having you in the family. When are you planning on proposing to my daughter?"

"Well, I need a ring first," Carter admitted. "I haven't been looking. I was hoping I could get Kelsey to pump Dana for information."

Bill held up a hand. "I have a better idea. Come on inside." He stood up and let Carter go ahead of him into the house. "Hang out here a second," Bill said. He disappeared upstairs while Carter shoved his hands in his pockets and rocked nervously on his heels. Pretty soon, Bill came back downstairs with something in his hand. He held it up between two fingers.

"This was her mother's," Bill confessed. "When Maureen died, I kept it." He twisted it between his thumb and index finger. "I couldn't bear to have it buried with her." He held it out to Carter in his palm. It was a plain gold band, with a simple emerald cut diamond. "It's something she can wear to work," he explained. "It's not too big to get caught on things, but it's big enough that Kelsey and all her girlfriends can gawk at it," he added with a smile.

"S-Bill," Carter asked, "a-are you sure about this?" He looked at the ring. "If that's your reminder of your wife, I don't-"

"It's not my only reminder," Bill cut in quickly. "I can still hear her laugh. I can see her smile every time Ryan smiles, see her eyes in Dana's." He looked at Carter. "I have every memory I need. It's time for you to make new ones." He plucked the ring out of his hand and put it in Carter's. "Trust me. Dana will love it," he said. "She was always wearing her mom's jewelry when she was little."

"If you're sure," Carter began, and Bill nodded, "then, Bill, thank you."

His future father-in-law smiled. "I'm sure. And now you get to get used to calling me 'Dad,'" he teased.


	14. Not "Dr" Mitchell-Yet

Marnie Geary found Dana Mitchell half asleep in the cafeteria. The doctor in training was conked on her lab coat, which was folded neatly under her arms on the table next to a bottle of Gatorade and a half-eaten salad. Marnie grimaced as she gingerly tapped Dana on the shoulder.

The blonde snapped awake, nearly hitting Marnie with her head under the chin. "I'm sorry!" Marnie gasped as Dana shook her head to wake up. "Sorry, Dr. Mitchell."

Dana blinked before smiling at her. "I'm not 'Doctor' yet," she told Marnie. "I didn't mean to freak you out. What can I do for you?"

"I didn't mean to wake you up," Marnie apologized. "Dr. Pearson is looking for you. He has a patient he wants you to sit in on."

Dana nodded, sliding her chair back and picking up her lab coat, brushing it out, trying to remove the wrinkles. "Where is he?" she asked Marnie, giving up and shrugging into her coat. It was a lost cause.

"4th floor," Marnie responded.

"Thanks," Dana said, grabbing her salad and Gatorade. She chucked the salad and stuck the Gatorade in her coat pocket and headed for the elevator. As she walked past one of the observation rooms, she spotted a familiar orange and black jacket. She poked her head in the door. " _Now_ what did you do?"

Carter Grayson jumped at the voice, but instantly calmed when he saw the face. "Hey!" he greeted her. He held up his wrist, which was covered in white gauze. "Just a few stitches," he replied. "Got in a disagreement with a pair of boots at work."

Dana frowned. "Huh?" she asked.

He rolled his eyes. "Rookie left his boots in the wrong place. Wasn't expecting boots there, tripped over said boots when the alarm sounded, stuck my hands out to catch me, got a nice-size graze."

"I won't even ask what you landed on," Dana sighed. "I'm sure I don't want to know. Tell me the rookie is cleaning toilets."

Carter nodded. "Yup. With toothbrushes. And stowing gear for everyone for the next two days." he confirmed. He looked at her. "How's your day going, Dr. Mitchell?" he asked.

"I'm not-" Dana paused. It sounded _so_ good when he said it. "It's good. Been busy," she said. "Headed up for an observation now."

"I won't keep ya," Carter said. "Hey, what are you doing tonight?" He shook his wrist. "I'm kinda on leave and have the night free."

Dana thought about it. "I get off at three," she answered.

"How about dinner?" Carter asked her.

She mentally ran through her plans. "I'm free."

"Good," Carter replied. "I'm coming to pick you up." He stood up and pulled his jacket sleeve down. "Wear that purple dress you were telling me about."

Dana recalled their discussion about their perfect date, and nodded. "Okay," she said. "I'll see you….when?"

"Does five thirty work?"

"See you then," Dana replied. She ducked out of the room.

Carter stuck the wrist that wasn't hurt in his jacket pocket and pulled out a small gold ring. He nodded to himself. _Tonight's the night, then._ He dug his cell phone out, well-aware of the no cell phones outside the waiting room rule, and made a quick phone call.

* * *

Dana practically flew home after her shift. She'd chucked her jacket in her locker at the hospital and gone at least ten over the speed limit to make it home after getting off an hour late. She skidded into the driveway and sprinted up the driveway in her heels, tugging them off one by one and making it to the porch in bare feet. She flung the door open and tossed her heels in the corner. "Hi Dad!" she yelled as she ran up the stairs. She ran into her room and slammed the door shut, rummaging in her closet for the dress she'd described to Carter, finding it buried in the back of her closet. She pulled it out. It was just as she remembered it, cut straight across the chest with spaghetti straps, form fitting(it _was_ a little tight now around the stomach and thighs) and flaring out at the knees. She found a pair of silver strappy heels buried under a pair of knee-high black boots and pulled them out and tossed them on her bed. She took a quick shower and then returned to her room and sat down at her vanity, playing with her hair. She found a silver headband in her drawer and returned to the bathroom to blow-dry her hair and brush it out. Then she popped the headband in and slipped the dress on. Somewhere in her jewelry box she found a pair of silver stud earrings and a silver necklace with a silver butterfly with purple stones in the eyes and antennae.

"You look amazing," a voice said, and Dana jumped. Her father was standing in the doorway.

"Dad!" Dana gasped. "You scared me!"

Bill gestured to her. "Can I come in?"

Dana stood up, smoothing out her dress. "Sure," she said, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

"What's the occasion?" Bill asked, knowing full well, but playing ignorant.

"Carter's taking me out for dinner," Dana replied. "He told me to wear the dress, so I'm guessing it's not to Burger King."

"But you'd get one of those cardboard crowns," Bill replied. "It'd look good with that dress."

Dana stuck her tongue out at him. "Funny," she told him, and returned to playing with her makeup.

Bill watched her in the mirror. "You look like your mother," Bill told her after a moment, and Dana lost her breath.

"Dad-"

"She liked purple too. She wasn't sure when you started liking pink so much," Bill said. "Your closet was full of purple clothes until all of a sudden, you started wanting pink." He smiled, remembering. "That was part of the reason I didn't pick you for Lightspeed Yellow," he teased her. "Didn't matter what color you were wearing," he said. "You still looked beautiful." He looked at his daughter. "She'd be proud of you, you know," he told her.

"Think so?" Dana asked, biting her bottom lip. Bill had to refrain from saying anything-the tic was something else she'd inherited from Maureen Mitchell.

"Know so," Bill said. He gave Dana a hug.

The doorbell rang, interrupting the moment. "That'll be Carter," Bill said. "I'll tell him you're almost ready."

Dana smiled gratefully. "Thanks. Love you, Dad."

He returned the smile. "Love you too." He disappeared down the hall as Dana fumbled for her makeup to cover up the tear streaks on her cheeks.

"Well, look at you, Mr. Grayson," Bill said as he came downstairs. "You clean up all right, son."

Carter looked down at his button down and pants. "Thanks," he said.

Bill noted his wrist. "The stitches don't really go with the outfit."

"And there's a rookie at the station paying for that," Carter agreed.

"Dana'll be down in a minute," Bill told him. "Why don't you hang out on the porch? It's a nice evening."

"I'll do th-"

"Hi."

Carter stopped midsentence and looked up at the landing. Dana stood there in the dress, the heels, her hair framing her face. "Hi," Carter choked out. Dana came down the stairs.

"I'm ready," she announced. Carter nodded, offering her his arm. The object in his pants pocket felt very heavy. He looked over Dana's shoulder as he led her out the door. Bill gave him an encouraging smile. Carter let the door close behind him.

Bill stood alone in the entryway for a moment. Then he nodded approvingly and returned to his paper in the living room, waiting for the news to break.

* * *

"Carter, we just passed The Pink Cadillac," Dana said as they drove past the 1950s themed diner they'd discussed earlier.

Carter nodded, turning his truck down the side street and coming to a stop. "Yeah, I know," he said. He put the truck in park.

Dana glanced up at the lettering on the windows they were parked in front of. "Le Bordeaux?" she asked, gaping. "Oh, Carter!"

"We're already past the first date phase," Carter pointed out. "I want to take you somewhere nice."

Dana bit her lip. "Well…I guess…."

"We can go somewhere else if you want," Carter said quickly. "I mean, the Cadillac's right down the street."

"No, no," Dana said. She smiled at him. "This is fine." When Carter didn't look convinced she said, "I swear, Carter, this is fine. I've never been here but I've always wanted to try it."

He smiled and nodded. "Okay," he said. "Stay right there." He got out of the truck and came around the front and opened her door. Dana blushed. He offered her his hand and helped her down. When they got to the front door, he opened the door for her again and she stepped past him.

Le Bordeaux was a four-star restaurant, and the flagship storefront for five other French-American restaurants in California-one in Mariner Bay, and the others scattered in Los Angeles, San Diego, Panorama City and San Francisco. The decor was French-inspired, having the look of a streetside cafe with tables for dining outdoors when the weather was nice inside black wrought-iron fencing and windows framed by green and maroon-striped awnings. The chef was an import from Avignon, France, and the restaurant was known for its dishes paired with the best French wine, which was all imported from overseas. Dana had never been inside Le Bordeaux, though she and Kelsey had often stopped outside the window and looked in at the white linen tables, the candles, the silver. They imagined that all the tuxedoed waiters had French accents and spoke like Lumiere the candlestick from "Beauty and the Beast."

Dana looked around as they waited for the host. "Wow," she breathed, and Carter grinned. A young man in a tuxedo came out to the foyer. "Good evening," he said in an American South accent. "Welcome to Le Bordeaux."

"You're not French!" Dana gaped. Carter glanced at her.

The young man didn't even bat an eye. "No ma'am, I'm from Louisiana," he told her with a grin. "I'm goin' to college over in Angel Grove, but I want to be a chef someday." He waved a hand. "What better place to get lessons than the original Le Bordeaux?"

Carter nodded approvingly. "None better," he said. "Um, I have reservations under Grayson?"

"Sure, Carter," the young man nodded without looking at the book. "Table for two, right this way." He gestured into the dining room and Carter and Dana followed him to a table by the window. He pulled the chair out for Dana and Carter took the seat opposite her. "Can I start ya'll-" He winced. "Sorry, may I start you off with a glass of our house wine?"

"That would be great," Carter said. "Thank you."

The kid nodded and walked off. Carter looked across the table at Dana. "I think he likes you," he teased.

"Oh shush," Dana said. She opened the menu. "What looks good?" She bit her bottom lip. "Oh, good, it's not all in French."

Carter raised an eyebrow. "What exactly were you expecting when you came here?" he asked, amused.

"Um," Dana said, embarrassed. "Well, Kelsey and I might've kind of….you know, stalked outside the windows sometimes…."

Carter laughed. "I would expect nothing less," he said to her. "Well, luckily, it's French and American, really the only thing completely in French is the wine list, and if you want, we can get something to split."

"That would be great," Dana said. "Because I was thinking that the sirloin looked amazing but the price tag looked like your next paycheck!"

Carter nodded. "I was prepared to spend that and then some," he admitted truthfully. "So…you pick, and money's no object." He enjoyed it when Dana's eyes lit up.

* * *

The food was excellent, the wine was wonderful. After splitting the sirloin with the garlic vegetables and the white wine sauce, Carter paid for their meal and they walked from Le Bordeaux down the block to a little stand that sold Hawaiian-style shaved ice. Carter had a raspberry and Dana chose a lemon-lime, and they walked out onto the beach. Carter ditched his shoes and Dana left her sandals in the bed of Carter's truck and they walked barefoot into the sand.

"Not bad for our first fancy date," Carter said as they walked near the surf. He'd rolled up his pants legs so the water was just licking the cuffs.

"Not bad at all," Dana agreed. "I had fun." She grabbed his hand and pulled him close. "Does my breath still smell like garlic?" she asked. She kissed him. When she pulled back, Carter licked his lips. "Yup," he said. "Definitely still smells like garlic. Tastes a little like white wine sauce though."

Dana laughed. "Yum," she said. "Better have a little more shaved ice."

"Oh yeah, lemon lime shaved ice mixed with white wine sauce mixed with garlic," Carter teased. "My favorite flavor."

"Oh, whatever," Dana said. "You're so cheesy."

"Yeah?" Carter decided to seize the moment. He stuck his shaved ice cone in a small patch of wet sand and got down on one knee. "Let me show you how non-cheesy I am."

Dana's eyes widened. "Carter-"

"No no," Carter held up a hand. "Let me say this. Dana Mitchell, I knew I loved you the second that I saw you." He reached into his pocket. "And over the past year and a half, I've enjoyed getting to know you more and working alongside you. You're brave, and compassionate and caring. You're selfless and you put others first." He looked up at her. "I love you. I promise that I will do whatever it takes to love you like that."

He pulled out the ring. "Carter!" Dana gasped, instantly recognizing the piece of jewelry he held. "Carter, that's-"

"Your um, dad thought you'd appreciate the gesture," Carter said. "I guess he was right," he said as tears welled in her eyes. "Dana Mitchell…will you marry me?"

Dana dropped her shaved ice as her hand flew to her mouth. "Yes," she said after a moment. " _Yes_!"


	15. The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

"So Carter's proposing tonight huh?" Ryan closed the freezer and put the pint of vanilla bean ice cream on the counter. He dug in the drawer for a spoon.

"I believe so," Bill said. "He looked especially nervous at the front door."

"It's about time," Ryan said, drowning his bowl of ice cream in chocolate. "What time did they leave?"

Bill glanced at the kitchen clock. "Three hours ago," he confirmed. "They should be getting home any minute." He leaned back in his chair. "Sooo…how are things going with Kelsey?"

Ryan tapped his spoon against the back of his hand a couple of times as he thought about it. "Good, I think," he said. "I'm not ready to propose or anything yet but…I like spending time with her." He smiled. "A lot." Ryan sat down at the table and dropped his spoon in his bowl. He grinned. "Chocolate syrup is the greatest invention ever."

His father smiled. Just then, they heard the front door open. "Here we go," Bill whispered under his breath and Ryan pretended to be very interested in his dessert.

"Dad? Ryan?"

"In here!" Bill called casually to Dana. He winked at Ryan. Ryan grinned and popped another bite of his ice cream. Dana came into the kitchen, pulling Carter behind her. "Hi, honey," Bill said. "How was your night?" He nodded to Carter. "Hi, Carter."

"Hi…Bill," Carter said, catching himself.

Dana looked at her brother and her dad. "I have something to tell the two of you," she said. She flashed her left hand. "I'm engaged!"

"Well, _duh_ ," Ryan said into his bowl. He looked up at the indignant look on his sister's face.

"What do you mean 'duh'?" she demanded.

Ryan pointed at the two of them with his spoon. "It was inevitable," he shrugged. He stood up. "Congratulations, sis," he said, giving her a hug. "I'm happy for you." He messed up her hair and she grinned. Then he hugged Carter. "Nice job, man," he said.

"Thanks, Ryan," Carter said.

"Your mother's ring looks good on you," Bill told his daughter. "Congratulations." He shook Carter's hand. "Welcome to the family, son," he said, and Carter beamed.

"So…when's the big day?" Ryan asked.

Carter and Dana exchanged looks. "Well, we talked it over a little in the truck on the way back here," Carter said. "We've decided to do it sometime in the spring."

"I think that's a great idea," Bill said. "If we can help with anything, let us know," he told them. "Have you told the other rangers yet?"

"Not yet," Dana said. "We need to run to Carter's family's house first," she said. "And then we'll tell the others."

"We'll probably do that in the morning," Carter said. "My family's probably crashed right now." He gave Dana a kiss on the forehead. "I'll come by and get you in the morning," he said.

"Okay," Dana smiled. "See you tomorrow." She gave him a hug. Then Carter disappeared out the door, leaving the Mitchells alone in the kitchen.

Ryan picked his sister up and spun her around. "Are you excited? Say you're excited," he told her.

Dana laughed breathlessly. "I'm excited!" she told him. "Excited _and_ scared," she added. "But more excited. I think."

"Are you sure?" Bill asked her, and she hit her dad in the arm. "Just checking," he said.

"Joel owes me ten bucks," Ryan announced. He was smiling triumphantly. Dana looked at him. "I bet him you guys would beat Chad and Rachel down the aisle."

"What _is_ it with you guys betting on our love life?" Dana asked her brother. Bill just laughed. "You know, Ry, just because I proposed first doesn't mean Chad won't elope with Rachel tomorrow or something." She watched Ryan's eyes widen at that realization. "Looks like Joel gets to hold onto his money a little longer," Dana added with a grin.

* * *

_Bzzzzzz. Bzzzzzz._

Kelsey made a solemn vow to murder whoever was on the other end of the line as she picked up her phone. "This better be the phone call telling me I won a million dollars," she threatened the person on the other end.

" _Sorry, were you sleeping?"_ It was Dana.

"Of _course_ I was sleeping," Kelsey said. "Is everything okay?" she asked. There were only two reasons Dana would call in the middle of the night- bad news…or…

She reached over and flicked on her bedside lamp. "Bad news or good news?"

" _Good news_ ," Dana announced. " _Carter proposed!"_

"What!" Kelsey cried, and then grimaced, looking toward her door. Luckily, her mom was out for the night. "You're serious?" she asked, quieter now. "Tell me _everything_."

* * *

Carter and Dana pulled up to his parent's house a little past nine the next morning. "I smell bacon," Carter said. "I bet you twenty bucks that it's my mom's pecan pancakes, bacon and cheesy eggs."

"That sounds amazing," Dana said. "But I'm not gonna bet you."

"Why? You afraid you'll lose?"

"No," Dana said. "I don't bet on sure things." She smiled. "Unlike everybody else we know." Carter grinned and rapped on the front door. "Hey! Anybody up?"

"No!" David's voice yelled back at him through the door. Carter laughed and let himself and Dana inside. Dana hadn't seen the inside of the house last time she was here, but it was cozy and inviting. Pictures were everywhere. "Your mom has a thing for photos," she noted.

"Every inch of my childhood is on these walls somewhere," Carter said, embarrassed. He ran a hand through his hair. "I'm pretty sure during my entire senior year that the camera was glued to Mom's hand."

"We had it surgically removed two years ago," Tom Grayson called from the kitchen. "Come on in you guys, breakfast's almost ready!" Carter led Dana to the back of the house and into the kitchen. It was painted a robin's egg blue with light brown cabinets. The table was a high table with tall chairs, occupied already by a giant plate of bacon, a stack of pecan pancakes and Lisa and David Grayson. Carter pulled out a chair for Dana, who kept her hands shoved in her sweatshirt's kangaroo pocket to hide the ring until Carter decided to make the announcement. "Good morning," she told Lisa. "Nice to see you again."

"You too," Lisa replied with a warm smile. "We're glad you could join us for breakfast this morning. How's your classes going?"

Dana launched into an explanation of her classes and her practicum at the hospital while Carter quizzed David about the Mariner Bay High basketball team's chances of making the regional in the spring. Pretty soon Tom arrived at the table with a bowl full of scrambled eggs loaded with peppers and cheese and everyone began spooning out helpings onto their plates.

"Before everyone digs in," Carter said, "there's something I need to say." He looked sideways at Dana, who pulled her hand out of her pocket. Her mother's ring sparkled in the kitchen light. "I asked Dana to marry me," he said, over his mother's excited squeal. "She said yes."

"Congratulations son!" Tom cheered from across the table. He shook his son's hand, then got out of his chair and hugged his future daughter-in-law. "Dana we're looking forward to having you in the family," he told her.

"Thanks, Mr. Grayson," Dana said over the top of Lisa's shoulder, who was hugging her fiercely.

"Does this mean I have to buy a tux?" David complained.

Carter grinned at his little brother. "No. It means you get to _rent_ a tux," he clarified. "But you won't have to worry about it til the spring, so you've got at least five months or something to grow out a little bit."

David stuck his tongue out at his big brother. Carter returned the gesture.

"All right, all right, everybody dig in," Lisa said over the din. "And then I want every single detail of how this happened!"

* * *

"I love your family," Dana said later as they were walking out of the house. "I can't wait for everything to be official."

"We'll have to have our parents get together sometime," Carter said, pulling the side door of his truck open for her. Surprisingly, the thing hadn't died yet. Carter was hoping it would so he could drive the Rescue Rover in the interim. "I bet my dad and your dad would get along really well."

"Ryan would like David too," Dana said. "Yeah, we should all go out to eat sometime or something," she agreed. She checked her watch. "You should drop me off at the hospital," she said. "I've got an observation in about an hour."

"That's right, I forgot. Do you want a ride home tomorrow morning?" he asked her.

"That'd be great. I should be off around nine, but I'll call you if that changes," Dana said.

Carter nodded. "Sounds good. I think I'm gonna give Chad and Joel a call," he decided. "Haven't talked to them in a while and they should know our good news." He thought about it. "Is there anything wedding-related I should be doing?" he wondered.

"No," Dana said. "We're far enough out yet that you don't have anything too terribly pressing. We'll talk later about the church and the photographer and that sort of stuff."

"Okay, if you're sure," Carter told her, and Dana nodded. "I really want to help you," he said. "So whatever you need me to do, I'll do it."

"Just stay out of trouble," Dana teased him. "We don't need any sprained wrists, broken ankles, concussions, more stitches…"

Carter kept his eyes ahead on the road as he asked casually, "But what if I like playing doctor with you?"

Her jaw dropped as she looked sideways at him. " _Carter Grayson_!" she cried. "You…."

He laughed. "I love you, Dana Grayson," he said.

She folded her arms over her chest. "I'm not Dana Grayson yet," she reminded him.

"I know," he said giving her a kiss. "Just trying it out." He pointed. "We're here," he said. "Have a good day, Doctor."

"You too," she told him. "I love you," she added with a smile. "And I _love_ the sound of Dana Grayson."

He grinned. "I'm glad you do."

* * *

"You went and did _what_ now?" That proclamation came from Joel, who slammed his hand down so fast the table rocked.

Carter grinned at Chad. "I. Proposed. To Dana." He said it slower this time, hoping that might help it sink in with Joel. He'd asked Chad and Joel to meet him at the Pink Cadillac for lunchtime appetizers. Luckily, Chad could get away on his lunch break and Joel had the afternoon free. He and Angela were getting married the following Saturday and Angela was putting finishing touches on bouquets, something that Joel did _not_ want to have a hand in.

"And she said _yes_?" Joel asked him. "Girl's crazy."

Chad laughed and Carter pretended to be mad. "Who asked for _your_ expert opinion?" he demanded of Joel.

"Dude, I'm happy for you," Joel said. "Seriously."

"Me too, man," Chad said, clapping him on the back. "I knew you guys would get together someday. It was definitely a 'when' not 'if' thing."

"Thanks," Carter told them both. "You're both in the wedding for sure," he told them. "Just don't know in what capacity yet."

"Cool," Chad said. "Last time I was in a wedding, I was four. And I tried to eat the ringbearer pillow."

"You're not getting anywhere near the rings on Saturday," Joel declared. Chad laughed. Then, he saw something on the TV behind the counter and his smile faded. "Hey, guys," he said urgently. "Look at this!"

Carter glanced up. The news anchor from Channel Ten was standing in front of a very familiar-looking part of town. "That's where the stones were," he muttered. He read the subtitles. "Mariner Bay office of the mayor….they want to put _what_ there?" He shook his head. Thought it had been nearly a year, the final battle against the demons and Bansheera was still fresh in everyone's mind. Carter closed his eyes.

_He aims the Mobile Armored Vehicle at the Megazord. "Just a little closer…" As they approach, he and Ryan jump and it crashes into the MegaZord's central electric panel, causing it to bust into flames and explode. But the last stone drops to the ground, the moon slides over the sun, pitching the city into darkness and the ceremony begins…_

" _She's opening the tomb!" Flames erupt from the opening to the Shadow World._

" _Carter! Get Bansheera!" Ryan yells from behind him. Carter attacks, but she blasts him back and the force knocks his helmet off._

_He feels something yank on his arm and feels himself falling. "Carter! Give me your hand!" Ryan yells, peering over him inside the tomb. He's holding on with an iron grip, but the rocks are crumbling. "Close the lid!" he yells up to his team. "You're not leaving this tomb, Ranger!" Bansheera growls from below him…_

_And then he feels his fingers start to slip..._

He blinked, realizing that Chad was talking. "Sorry. What'd you say?" Carter asked, trying to shake the nightmare he thought he would never have again.

"I said, that's crazy," Chad repeated. "They should fill that entire area with cement. Something that can't get _dug_ through…in case…"

"Don't even say it, man," Joel held up a hand, cutting him off. "They've officially lost it." He rolled his eyes. "Who puts a cemetery on top of a demon burial ground?" he said aloud.

"Someone who doesn't have a clue what could happen...or doesn't care." Carter groaned. "I better call Bill."

"Bill?" Chad asked.

"Captain Mitchell," Joel said. "'Course, now that our flyboy here's practically family, they're on a first name basis."

"And yet I still call him sir," Carter said. He tossed some money on the table. "Sorry to cut this short, guys. I'll talk to you later." He took a step and paused. "Joel-see ya Saturday at two?"

"Saturday. Two o'clock. And you better be in that tux and ready to go," Joel told him.

"Yeah, I will be," Carter promised. He jogged toward the door.

"Hey, Carter!" Joel yelled as Carter was halfway out the door. Carter turned. "Let us know if you need us," Joel told him. "I'm not afraid to talk to the media."

"I know you're not," Carter replied gratefully. "Thanks." His friend was getting married, and yet Joel was still willing to take a second and help a friend. _Joel's come a long way_ , Carter mused. And now one of his best friends was getting married. _Good news and bad news_ , Carter thought. _Speaking of the bad_ …he reached for his phone and dialed his future father-in-law.

"I saw it," Bill confirmed to Carter over the phone. "I'm on my way down to City Hall now."

" _This is bad, sir,_ " Carter's voice said. " _I mean, I know nothing has happened in a year, but-"_

"Err on the side of caution," Bill said. "I've got to go, Carter. I'll let you know what they say."

He'd almost spit out his lunch when he'd seen that particular nugget on the noon report. His rangers had fought for a year to put the demons back in Hell where they belonged. Cleanup had just been finished downtown, and now some idiot wanted to put nothing but a strip of grass and six feet of earth on top of the battleground and _then_ dig holes into it.

Bill knew the demons weren't dead and gone, just trapped again. The gateway was sealed-for now. There was always the possibility they could get out again. But he was hoping it'd take them a few more millennia to do it. _And we're making it easy for them_. He parked his Chrysler in front of city hall and strode up the steps. He was wearing his uniform from Lightspeed. _Might as well look official_ , he thought. He wished the building for Lightspeed Rescue Ops was finished. It was nearly there now, but there was just some last-minute things that weren't finished. Otherwise, he would have held a press conference on the site. "I'm here to see Mayor Arkin," he told the receptionist behind the desk.

"Mayor Arkin's in a meeting," she told him. "Do you have an appointment?"

"No," Bill said. "But tell him it's Bill Mitchell."

The receptionist looked confused. "He's in a-"

Bill slammed a fist down on the top of the desk. "This _can't_ wait. Interrupt him." And before she could raise the mayor, Bill strode past her and pushed open the door to Mayor Arkin's office. The mayor, a distinguished-looking man with a goatee in a purple button down shirt and tie, looked up sharply. The man sitting in the chair across from him was Ray Smith, the chief city planner.

"Digging holes into the ground above a door to Hell is _not_ a good idea," Bill told them both.

"Hello, Bill," Jack Arkin said, ignoring the outburst. "How have you been?"

"Build a roundabout. Build a skate park. Something concrete, impenetrable," Mitchell told him. "Anything they can't dig through. In fact, I would suggest filling that area in with concrete ten feet thick, and using it as a parking lot!" Bill pointed out his window. "You're going to put this entire city at risk!"

"By covering that eyesore of a gaping hole with something beautiful?" Ray argued. "Bill, that's smack in the middle of downtown. A skate park would make no sense, and that particular block's not zoned for anything higher than two stories."

"Then build a two story parking garage!"

"Captain," Jack Arkin began, his tone showing no sign of respect the title of 'Captain' was due, "didn't your Power Rangers _destroy_ the demons?"

Bill was seeing red. "No," Mitchell admitted. "Trapped the demons. But not killed."

"Well then, Captain, what good were your rangers, if this could happen again?"

Bill knew he was walking into a trap, but he gave the mayor the answer he'd wanted to hear. "That's why the Ranger program is on standby. In case we need them again."

"Well then," the mayor said, leaning back smugly in his chair. "Then if they come back, you'll be ready for them, won't you?"

"You're making a _huge_ mistake," Bill told him and left the office, slamming the door behind him so hard he made the art on the walls rattle.


	16. The Calm

"I can't believe this!" Ryan Mitchell was livid. Kelsey sat on the couch and watched him pace back and forth in the living room. The two were watching the evening news on mute. Bill Mitchell had gone from the mayor's office to the Lightspeed base, and Dana was working, so Ryan had called his girlfriend over for dinner and a movie. He did _not_ want to be alone tonight. "The mayor's an idiot." He turned to face her, throwing his hands in the air. "He _has_ to know how stupid this is. Was he _not_ around last year at all? Does he even fathom what could happen?" He wasn't sure why he was so worked up, just that in every fiber of his being, he knew this was a horrible idea and only bad could come from it.

"Your dad still has our morphers," Kelsey pointed out, drawing her legs under her to sit indian-style. "Plus, I mean, it's been a year and nothing's happened…and last time, they got out by accident," she added. "I don't think that we've got anything to worry about."

Ryan collapsed on the couch next to her, resting his head against the back of it. "I've just got a bad feeling," he said, closing his eyes. "I don't like this."

"Okay, no more talking about demons," Kelsey shifted to face him. She grabbed his legs and turned him the length of the couch, then climbed on top of him and rested on his chest. "Think happier thoughts," she told him.

"Like what?" Ryan asked her. Kelsey grinned, and soon the two were engrossed in a full-on makeout session. It took Ryan's mind completely off the demons.

For a little while.

* * *

Saturday morning dawned bright and clear. Carter was glad it looked like it was going to be a good day for Joel and Angela's wedding. He came out of the bedroom and leaned against his doorframe, grinning at Dana who was crashed on his couch, one arm dangling over the side, the other tucked under her head. She'd come over after her overnight at the hospital for breakfast and fallen asleep on the couch. He'd had to untangle himself from her but she hadn't moved. He could tell that classwork and her work at the hospital were taking their toll. But she was making such great progress and he was so proud of her. And, she was going to be his wife. The thought made him smile.

He tiptoed through the living room and into the kitchen to throw some coffee on. Joel had asked him to be in the wedding, and fortunately, Joel and Angela were going casual, despite the teasing about the suits and tuxes. Carter just needed a clean pair of jeans, his white shirt and a hunter green tie, which were all hanging in his room. Chad was the second groomsman, and Angela's brother Clark was the third. Angela had Dana and Kelsey for bridesmaids. Carter put in a quick text to Ryan, asking if he'd bring Dana's dress by his apartment. He'd just hit SEND when Dana appeared in the kitchen, yawning.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," Carter greeted her, handing her a cup and kissing the top of her head. "Sleep okay?"

"Yeah," Dana said, snuggling into his side. "Sorry about crashing on your couch."

"You looked so cute," Carter teased. "I wasn't going to send you home."

"Does my dad know what time the wedding is?" Dana asked, holding her cup out as Carter poured her coffee.

"Yeah," Carter said. "I told him to be at the public beach around one thirty."

"Thanks," Dana said. "He's been super stressed out over this whole memorial park-cemetery-whatever thing they're building." She shook her head. "Stupid city planners," she said. "Maybe we could arrange an accident? Dump cement in all the flower beds or something?"

"We're too noticeable," Carter shrugged. Sabotage had crossed his mind, but his position as a firefighter _and_ his status as Red Ranger deterred that. The Lightspeed team was one of the few where their identities were public knowledge. In a situation like this, being anonymous would've been to their advantage. "Definitely have to be at night." He'd always wanted to ask someone from teams prior how they dealt with the whole secret identity thing-except the only other rangers he knew lived in a different star system, and it was a little hard for Leo and his team to make interstellar travel a regular thing.

"Well that's out then," Dana shrugged. "I start nights here in a few weeks, and you work nights at the station."

"We'll just have to call in our cosmic favors and hope that Bansheera and Diabolico stay buried," Carter said. He glanced at his watch. "I suppose we better be getting ready, pictures start at noon."

"I guess I better go home and get my dress," Dana said. She set her cup on the counter.

"You're set," Carter told her. "I texted Ryan and asked if he'd bring your dress over here so you could get ready here."

"I hope you told Kelsey to bring my makeup," Dana told him.

He winced. "Let's hope Kelsey thinks about that," he said. "'Cause I sure didn't."

Dana rolled her eyes. "Boys," she groaned. "You know, I could use a drawer."

"A drawer, huh?" Carter asked. "Like, a place to keep extra makeup when you sleep over?"

"Yeah, that's it," Dana drawled. "A place to keep my spare lipstick."

Carter pretended to think about it. "I think I can swing that," he said. He chuckled. "You feel like we did this in the wrong order?"

"You mean," Dana said, taking a sip of coffee, "that I should've gotten a drawer before I got a ring?" She nodded. "Yeah, probably." She grinned and set her mug down. "You've got Kelsey's number, right?"

Carter looked confused as he answered, "Yeah, I do. Why?"

Dana stepped over to him and kissed him. "I'm going to shower. Call her and tell her to grab my makeup bag." She spun on her heel and left the kitchen, leaving Carter standing in the room with a cup of coffee and a horrified expression.

* * *

Carter parked the truck in the parking lot and hopped out to let Dana out of the passenger side. As he opened the door, he paused for a moment just to enjoy the view.

Dana swung one leg out of the truck but stopped when she saw Carter staring. _Let him enjoy the view_ , she decided. Her forest green dress fell to just above her knees and Angela had let them pick shoes that were silver. Dana had chosen a pair of silver wedge sandals that laced partway up her calf. Her hair was down, and she knew their bouquets were white calla lilies with short stems.

"Are you finished staring?" she couldn't resist asking him. Not that she minded her view either of Carter's crisp white shirt, green tie and blue jeans.

Carter lingered a little longer at her legs, then snapped his head up and smiled. "Yeah, I'm good," he announced, and offered her his arm. He was just closing the door behind her when Ryan and Kelsey pulled up in Kelsey's little car. Ryan got out of the passenger side in a pair of black dress pants and a gray button down shirt and jogged over to the driver's side to open the door for Kelsey. He caught Carter's eye over the top of the jeep and winked.

Carter whispered to Dana, "He's learning," he said proudly.

"My little brother is growing up!" Dana teased as Ryan came over with Kelsey on his arm. Kelsey's hair was in her usual ponytail and she was wearing her dress and a pair of silver peep-toe heels.

Ryan glared at his sister. "Thanks, Dana," he growled.

There was instant squealing as the two girls came in contact with each other, gushing over dresses and hairstyles. Carter pulled Ryan away and onto the beach, having just spotted Chad and Joel coming up toward them. There was no sign of Angela, but then Ryan knew the thing about not seeing the bride before the wedding. Vypra had been almost married once to some demon, and she'd flipped out that this orange and green demon might see her ugly black dress (Ryan's opinion) before it, and in the end, she'd killed him before the "I Dos" anyway so it didn't matter. Ryan often wondered if Diabolico had kidnapped him just to groom him as a mate for Vypra…. _thank God that never happened_. He shivered at the thought.

Joel was wearing dark blue jeans, a white shirt and bolo tie with a green stone in a silver inlay, and then his signature Sky Cowboy hat. "Hey boys," he greeted Ryan and Carter.

"Hey yourself," Carter said. "Nervous?"

"Are you kidding?" Joel scoffed. He looked around in either direction and then whispered, "Terrified. But I have my reputation to uphold."

"Your secret's safe with us," Chad promised. "Come on, man, let's do this."

Joel took a deep breath and let it out. "Okay."

"Dude, one look at her and you won't even remember being nervous," Carter said.

"Dad's here," Ryan noted glancing over at the chairs to see Bill taking a seat in one of the rows of white chairs set up along the beach. "I'm watchin' you Joel," he added. "You better make it up the aisle."

Joel punched the Titanium Ranger in the arm. "I'll be there."

* * *

True to his word, five minutes later Joel took his place up by the white archway with the pastor. Carter and Chad joined Clark Fairweather at the start of the makeshift aisle set between the chairs. Dana was talking to Kelsey. "So, how's the bride?" Kelsey was asking Dana.

"She's good," Kelsey praised. "She's waiting over at the lifeguard tower over there for the music." Kelsey pointed.

"She better not be touching my stuff," Chad teased. When Clark and Carter looked at him, Chad smiled. "That tower's mine for the foreseeable future. I moved down the beach a couple weeks ago."

"I'm sure she'll leave your rescue floater alone," Clark said. "Although, if she cries on it or something and gets mascara on it, it should wash right out," he added with a smile.

The strains of a simple melody of "Canon in D" wafted along on the breeze. "That's our cue," Chad said, and offered Kelsey his arm . "Ready?"

Kelsey threaded her arm through his. "Here we go!" Kelsey said, and the two brushed past Clark as he went up to get his sister. "Give us like a count of five, and then follow us," she told Carter and Dana over her shoulder as Chad escorted her up the aisle. Carter saw Chad give his girlfriend Rachel a wink as they passed her.

"One…" Carter teased as he took Dana's arm.

"Two…" she teased back. "Heck with it, they're halfway down the aisle. Let's go." She started walking, pulling Carter along with her, but they somehow managed to be even as they went up the aisle. She caught her father's eye and smiled. At the head of the aisle Carter walked Dana to her spot and then took his place next to Chad, clapping Joel on the arm as he went past.

Joel wasn't paying attention. Joel's eyes were firmly locked down the aisle at Angela Fairweather, who looked like she'd stepped off the pages of a magazine. Her dress was a tea-length, body-hugging white, strapless frock that flared out at the bottom. She wore silver sandals like Dana and Kelsey that would make her almost Joel's height, and she wore simple silver jewelry. She was being escorted by her brother, who gave her away in absence of their father.

Dana was paying attention, but she occasionally stole glances at Carter, only to find that he was staring back. They shared a smile.

* * *

Later on after dinner catered by the Pink Cadillac and after the bride and groom danced together, Carter pulled Dana out on the dance floor at the local Moose lodge for a slow dance. "So do you wish we were doing this sooner?" he asked, waving a hand around the lodge.

"No way," Dana replied honestly. Carter raised an eyebrow. "Well, for one thing, there's no way I could plan a wedding around med school. I would want to finish that first."

"Yeah, absolutely," Carter said. "Girls dream about weddings their whole lives," he added. "I'd want it to be perfect, or at least, whatever your definition of perfect is."

"Honestly, my definition of perfect right now is you and me and our family and something small," Dana said. "But I haven't had a chance to think about it too much."

"How about we go outside and get some air, and you can tell me all about it?" Carter asked her as the song ended.

Dana smiled. "Sure," she said. She glanced around the room. Joel and Angela were still stuck together like glue on the dance floor while Clark watched them approvingly. Ryan was laughing with Kelsey and Bill at a table over in the corner. Chad was spinning Rachel in and out on the dance floor and she was laughing hysterically.

Everyone was happy. She leaned into Carter as he escorted her outside and felt the breeze off the ocean and the smell of saltwater. Carter smelled like his favorite aftershave.

 _This is perfect. This is how life should be,_ Dana thought to herself.


	17. The Storm

For a few months, the area in downtown Mariner Bay was alive with sound as dirt was built up, grass was planted, trees were watered, benches were filled, and a memorial to the dead took place. Dana would admit the place looked beautiful, but she and the other rangers couldn't shake the feelings of nerves and fear and frustration that a year's worth of battles and nearly dying several times gave them. They attended the memorial, all wearing their Lightspeed jackets, were hailed as heroes by a smirking mayor who Carter and Bill felt was almost tempting fate by having this many people above a demonic burial ground. But the ceremony went off without a hitch and Carter breathed a little easier as everyone left to go home.

Ryan refused to go near it. He and Kelsey changed their running path so that he'd never have to see it. Ryan hardly saw his father. The relationship they'd built was slowly coming unglued. Bill was looking to staff the new Lightspeed base and had been not-so-subtly hinting that Ryan should leave his job at the amusement park and come work at the Lightspeed base.

Carter got a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach every time he was called out at Ladder 4 that it was going to be something at the memorial park. A few times he swore he saw something in the flames, but it always turned out to be nothing. He tried to ignore it by helping Dana with the wedding, or studying for tests, or running with Ryan and Kelsey.

Angela and Joel put off their honeymoon to Hawaii. Angela was still Chief Science Officer for Lightspeed and she wanted to see the project through. She and Joel had bought a house that didn't look like two people lived there, because Angela was at the office and Joel let off tension by flying. Bill could sense the tension in the newly married Rawlingses, and finally told Angela to take a vacation. She and Joel had reservations on a luxury cruise line to the Hawaiian Islands.

Chad would be at work at his lifeguard station watching the water. Even though it'd been clear that the demons couldn't enter the water…he wasn't taking any chances that someone would get hurt on his watch. Even simple things like shark sightings, he was tense. It was hard to enjoy the beach anymore. On his days off he returned to train with his sensei to center and calm his racing mind.

Dana started spending her free time at Carter's. Project Lightspeed had been born out of Bill's desire to find the thing that had taken his son and make sure it couldn't hurt anyone else. Dana remembered staying with a neighbor a lot during that time, and the memories came flooding back as her father was hardly home. Dana was nearly completed with her internship at the hospital and wedding plans were coming along slowly. She and Carter had tentatively set a date for after Dana's graduation from medical school. They'd combine her graduation with the wedding and make it one large party. And so Dana was stressed out as she worked on completing her coursework and planning the wedding now that an official date was on the horizon, on top of the tension at home.

After a month or so, the former protectors of Mariner Bay settled into normal routines and the nightmares and nerves subsided, but they never completely went away.

* * *

Tonight, the cemetery was silent. Rain was threatening to fall and thick clouds blocked out the moon.

A plot of dirt began to move. Something below was pushing it up, up and out of the way. A hand reached through the earth, clawing its way to freedom. It was soon followed by the upper body of a young woman in metal armor. She gasped as her face broke the surface and she tasted her first taste of air that didn't have the metallic taste of brimstone and that wasn't so hot you could almost taste it. She fought her way through the rest of the dirt, crawling onto the grass just as the rain started to fall. After a moment of rest, she struggled to her feet.

She stood for a moment, savoring freedom. It had been a year. One year since Vypra had begun clawing her way out of Hell to reach the surface. She'd half-expected to run into a barrier between the Shadow World and the surface world, but to her surprise had broken the surface quite easily. _Foolish humans._

A bolt of lightning cracked, catching the inhuman, ice blue glint in her eyes. "The time has come," she hissed over the growing thunder. She savored freedom. When Diabolico had dragged Bansheera into the pit, Diabolico had disconnected Vypra's life force from Bansheera, and she found herself alive, in a matter of speaking, but trapped. Bansheera was around, somewhere in the Shadow World, no doubt cursing and wallowing in her failure. Wouldn't it be the ultimate slap in the face for word to trickle down that it was _Vypra_ who had destroyed Mariner Bay and the Power Rangers...

While Vypra had been below, in the Shadow World, she'd heard things. Heard of a mystical object, one that could raise the greatest of demons. That could destroy the six humans who had thwarted her every plot while she'd been loose in Mariner Bay. She'd found a demon that knew where to find it, and cast a locator spell for her. _It will lead you to the amulet_ , it told her, _but getting out of the Shadow World...that's beyond my magic_. So she'd done it the old-fashioned way. May it never be said that Vypra wasn't determined. A sound caught her ear, and she looked around the memorials. She smiled an icy smile of triumph.

Around her, five heads broke the surface. They were hellhounds, great ugly beasts Vypra had coerced into joining her in her quest for vengeance with the promise of blood. Fear, death, and destruction were what they did best. And they followed orders without question.

Vypra held out her arms as they growled and came racing to join her. She looked off into the distance. She could almost hear the artifact out there, calling her, miles away. And once she had it, she would wreak vengeance upon the six pathetic humans who had sent her to Hell. "Yes, my warriors," she said with a sinister grin. She turned to a newly-planted patch of flowers and with a flick of her hand, sent a small fiery ball into the middle of them, then watched as the flowers burst into flames. "Even the rangers will face the fire," she hissed, and a bolt of lightning punctuated her statement.

It would soon be the rangers who were buried.

* * *

Blueprints stretched out, covering the conference room table. "You want to put the new sub bay _there_?" Ryan looked at his father, confused.

"What do you mean _there_?" Bill repeated. He pointed to the spot on the blueprint. "What's wrong with _there_?"

Ryan shook his head. "I thought we learned from the attack on the Aquabase that having points for emergency exit were better here-" he pointed, "-and here." He hadn't been at the base when it'd been attacked, but he'd heard the story in multiple fanciful mutations from Joel. "This point gets you closer the swim beach, where the depth to the surface isn't as great. And if you look at the geologic specs for this area," he pointed to another spot, "the sub bay would be better structurally sound here."

Bill studied the plans. The former warehouse was now completely rebuilt and a couple of defense companies and science outfits had moved into the building now headed by Bill. Plans still included expanding out into the water, just a few miles from where the old base had sat. The former base was in ruins, most imploded or sunk to create an artificial reef, after the minions of Queen Bansheera had taken control of the Lightspeed Megazord and used it to destroy the base. Chad had been out diving there with Rachel a few times, but when he'd brought back photos, Bill had politely declined to see them.

"I guess that could work," Bill said finally, circling the coordinates on the blueprints and sliding them over.

Ryan sighed. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Dad," he replied. "Ask Chad. I bet he tells you the same thing. That's in the opposite corner from where the landslide was."

"I'll tell the architects," Mitchell decided. He looked at Ryan. "You know, you have a great understanding of the geologics-"

"Nope," Ryan said, standing up straight and holding up a hand. "Not happening." He _hated_ this conversation. It had come up multiple times lately.

"Ryan-"

"Dad," Ryan said, his tone turning sharp. "I know you want me to run this place with you. But it's not for me. The rules, the regulations, the ordering people around…" He spread his hands. "Honestly…that's a lot how it was under Diabolico. I'm perfectly happy with my job at the amusement park." He stepped back from the table, leaned against it with his arms crossed. "I don't want to run this place."

"Are you comparing me to that demon?" Mitchell demanded.

"I didn't say that-" Ryan began, but he was interrupted by an alarm echoing throughout the complex. He looked up at the flashing blue lights on the wall, and then turned to his father, who had gone visibly pale.

"That _can't_ be," Bill Mitchell said."No, it must be a glitch." He picked up a phone and hit a button, patching him immediately through to Security. "Ortiz. What is it?...No, _no_ that's _impossible_."

Ryan looked at his father, concerned at the sound of his voice. His father spoke quickly into the phone, and then he hung up. He leaned against the desk. "Dad?" Ryan asked, gentler now. "What's wrong?" He crossed the room and settled a hand on his father's shoulder. "What _is_ it?" he asked, worriedly. _Dad's too young for a heart attack, right_?

"Sensors have picked up traces of…of _demon_ DNA in the city," Mitchell said, more to himself than to his son.

Ryan gripped his father's shoulder hard, and his eyes went wide. "No. It's gotta be a glitch," Ryan said. "It must be miscalibrated or something," he guessed.

"The system is functioning properly." Bill Mitchell said, though his tone was still disbelieving. "It picked up traces in the memorial cemetery."

Ryan's eyes widened. "Where the city decided to dig holes into the ground." He shook his head. "Above a known gateway to the Shadow World." Anger began to boil. _Stupid, stupid!_

"They never thought they'd get out again," Mitchell said, knowing the sentiment was just that. He blinked. "I need to make a phone call." He disappeared into his office and closed the door, but the latch didn't catch. Ryan made his way over and stood just outside, eavesdropping.

"Carter," he heard his father say. "I apologize for the late hour." Ryan waited while Carter responded. He knew his future brother in law was working an overnight shift at Ladder 4. "Carter, if you have a moment, I need to set up a video conference with you." Mitchell sighed. "We've got a serious problem."

 _No kidding_ , Ryan thought. It _had_ to be serious for his father to be waking up his former team leader … He blinked. _Oh my God. That's it. Dad's reactivating the Lightspeed Ranger program._ His hand absently drifted to his wrist.

* * *

_Silver Hills-late that evening_

The Silver Hills Museum was an imposing structure of concrete and glass. Long since closed for the weekend, the property was protected by the Silver Guardians, an elite security force. The complex was protected by a high-tech security system of motion detectors and sensors.

Eric Meyers was on the scene two minutes after the alarm had been tripped by something within the museum. He and five other Guardians set up a perimeter outside in the parking lot and behind the building. " _Clear in the back_ ," one o f his men responded. Eric's dark eyes drifted to the silver Quantum Morpher on his wrist. He hoped he wouldn't need to use it tonight. _Every now and then it'd be nice to deal with some 'real' criminals_ , he thought. They were easier to handle than the mutants from the future.

He was completely unprepared for what walked out of the museum-or rather, what walked _through_ the museum doors. A young woman with Asian features stopped just outside the doors. She wore tight leather pants and heavy metal armor. Eric was pretty sure the curved metal hovering just over her shoulder was a pair of wings, and those were _snake_ fangs just above her eyes. But her eyes….there was something _way_ wrong with her eyes. No eyes were naturally that gray-blue color.

 _Not human eyes anyway,_ Eric thought to himself, and leveled his gun at her. "Don't take another step!" he warned, and the woman's eyes narrowed at him. She said nothing, simply choosing to glare at him, condescendingly. "You're trespassing on private property…" Eric frowned. "Ma'am." Whatever she was, it wasn't human.

She smirked back. "I go where I want," she informed him. Bolts of energy struck the ground, and carried with them five of the ugliest things Eric had ever seen-including everything he'd seen since joining the Silver Guardians. To make matters worse…they reeked of death and decay. As he lowered himself into a fighting stance in case the things came at them, the woman raised a hand and sent a ball of energy flying into the planter just to Eric's right. The cement planter exploded, sending bits of concrete, rock and dirt flying. She fired several more shots of energy, catching one of the Silver Guardian patrol cars, and one the power box that housed the museum's electrical systems. The box exploded, and the shock wave sent Eric flying into the parking lot just beyond the museum entrance.

He managed to raise his head, hearing his men groaning in pain near him, and saw the woman offer him the same self-assured smirk he'd seen earlier, before disappearing in a flash of light, taking her furry friends with her.

A split second after she disappeared, Eric saw five figures appear, wearing helmets and uniforms of red, yellow, green, blue and pink on some futuristic-looking motorcycles. _Fashionably late, Time Force,_ he thought to himself as Wesley Collins, the leader of the Time Force Power Rangers in the red uniform, came running over, gripped him under the arm, and helped him stand. "Eric?" Wes asked him. "Who _did_ this to you guys?"

Eric shrugged Wes off, though the motion hurt his shoulder. It felt dislocated. "I don't know," he growled. "Why don't you tell me, and then we'll _both_ know." He smacked his hand with a fist. "We couldn't even _touch_ them," he said furiously.

"Power down." Wes's red Time Force Ranger uniform disappeared in a burst of red light, and he stood facing his –well, they weren't exactly _friends_ \- in a pair of khakis and a red button down shirt. Around him, Eric saw Wes's friends-Katie Walker, Lucas Kendall, Jen Scotts, and Trip-demorph and begin helping his men put out some of the flames around the museum. Katie walked up to the two men and nonchalantly popped Eric's shoulder back into place. Eric grimaced but didn't say anything, and Katie left to go help with cleanup without bothering to wait for a "thank you" that would never come. "Eric, it had to take something with a lot of power to bring you guys down that fast. What happened? Was it Ransik?"

The Time Force Rangers had become activated in Silver Hills upon the arrival of Ransik, a demon from the year 3000 who had gone back in time to escape a lifetime sentence in a cryo prison. The morphers had come from the future as Jen, Katie, Lucas and Trip had arrived to bring their prisoner back to justice. Wes had been given the Red morpher because he was an ancestor of Alex, the Red Ranger from the future who had been killed in the line of duty. Alex had also been Jen's fiancé, and it was no secret that Jen had mixed feelings about Wes, who looked and spoke just like Alex, though the two couldn't have been more different in personality.

Jen and her team were aware of the previous team, the Lightspeed Rangers, due to their presence in the archives in the year 3000, but as Ransik was their problem and theirs alone, she hadn't felt the need to involve the currently inactive team.

Eric adjusted his Silver Guardians beret and picked up his laser pistol, holstering it as he said, "We're not dealing with Ransik and his mutant friends." He looked at Wes. "This is something completely different."

"How do you know?"

"Well, for one thing, she walked _through_ the doors." Off Wes's confused look, Eric grabbed him by the shirt and walked him through the destruction to the front doors of the museum. Then, he grabbed the handle and yanked. The door hit the bolt, but didn't open. He looked at Wes and cocked an eyebrow.

"So she walked _through_ them. Like what…like a ghost?" Wes asked. At this point, between mutants, time travelers, knights and giant robots, ghosts weren't near as fanciful.

"Exactly. We need to get the security footage." Eric frowned. "But she didn't come out with anything. I wonder what she was after?"

"What sector of the museum's alarms were tripped?" This came from Jen Scotts, Wes's second in command and Time Force Pink, wearing a black leather jacket and pink plaid skirt. Eric didn't mind Jen. In his mind, she would've made a better leader than Wes, but he kept his opinion to himself.

"Ancient artifacts," Eric replied.

"That's the one just past the dinosaurs," Wes clarified for Jen. At Eric's questioning look, he said, "We were just there yesterday." He shrugged with a grin. "Get to know the 20th Century field trip."

"Except dinosaurs weren't around in the 20th century," Jen countered. Wes shrugged and conceded the point.

"Uh huh. Got it. We'll clean up here," Eric said. "You guys don't need to stick around."

"We've got nowhere to be," Jen replied. She looked up at the sky. "Besides, it looks like it's going to storm any minute. We can help you get most of this taken care of." To prove her point, she nodded over at Katie, the Time Force Yellow Ranger, in camo pants and a yellow longsleeved top. Katie was holding a car door sized chunk of concrete in her left hand. She tossed it into a pile of debris about the same size, clearing it away from the Silver Guardians' vehicles.

Eric nodded in resignation. "Fine." He brushed past Wes and went to go help his men. Wes stayed where he was, surveying the damage and the sky. He sighed. "I have a bad feeling about this."

* * *

_Mariner Bay_

Carter couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Sir…I'm sorry, can you repeat that?" he asked. He'd brought his laptop down into the firehouse living room and set up a video conference at the urgency in his mentor's voice. He hadn't even thrown on a shirt so he was now sitting in the common area in his boxers and nothing else.

Bill didn't even say anything about Carter not calling him by his first name. "The sensors are picking up demon DNA. It was a fleeting signal, but it was definitely there."

"That can't be right," Carter said, echoing Ryan's words from earlier. He rubbed his face with his hands. "We're a hundred percent sure?"

"We sent a tech to the cemetery," Bill confirmed. "Something dug its way out. Several graves are disturbed."

Carter took a deep breath and let it out. "We need to look into it," he said. "I can probably clear it with Olliver to bring in another man to cover for me."

"Let me handle John," Bill said. "He won't appreciate the wakeup call. How fast can you get here?"

* * *

_The next morning-Silver Hills_

The Time Force rangers were gathered at the clock tower, having cleaned up most of the mess created by the snake lady at the museum. Trip brought up the Silver Hills Centurion and brought up the article on the break in at the museum. "The museum spokesman said the thief tried to steal this," the Time Force Green Ranger said, pointing to the photo accompanying the article.

Wes studied the photo. It was a yellow crystal-looking artifact. "The Solar Amulet," Jen read over his shoulder. Lucas, Time Force Blue Ranger, and Katie came around the table to study the photo. "It doesn't say exactly what it is, or why that woman wanted it," Katie said.

"But if they want it that bad," Jen said, an idea forming, "they'll try again." She looked at the rest of her friends. "And when they do, we'll be there."

"We'll stake it out," Wes decided. He looked at Lucas. "You and Katie can take the side exit. Trip can watch the back, and Jen and I will take the front."

"Of course you will," Katie muttered under her breath. Wes glanced at her.

"What'd you say?" Wes asked.

Katie shrugged innocently. "Nothing," she said, looking over at Lucas. Lucas ducked his head to hide a grin. It was obvious- to everybody but Jen and Wes- that the two rangers had feelings for each other despite the animosity.

"Guys, what if this person is in league with Ransik?" Trip asked. The other four rangers exchanged glances.

"If he shows up tonight, that's our chance to bring him in," Jen said. She looked at Trip. "We'll be ready."

* * *

_Mariner Bay_

"Do we know where Vypra is now?" Carter asked Bill and Ryan. Carter had arrived downtown at Lightspeed Rescue early in the morning after securing the time off from his captain. He wore blue jeans, steel-toed boots and a red longsleeved t-shirt. _His other uniform_ , Joel used to call it. He had also found his Lightspeed Rescue jacket with the "1" patch on the upper arm. It had seemed appropriate to wear the whole uniform.

"We aren't picking up anything in Mariner Bay," Bill reported. "However, there was some interesting developments at the Silver Hills Museum last night." He brought up an online article about the break in. "Apparently, someone was trying to steal this." He pointed at the article. "The Solar Amulet."

"Which is….?" Carter pressed.

Bill deferred to Ryan. "It's a powerful stone," Ryan said. "The legend says it can raise a super demon named Quarganon. Like, the father of all demons. Think like…Queen Bansheera's dad." He shrugged. "At least that's how I always interpreted it. I never saw Quarganon myself. I thought he was just a legend." He read through the article. "So she _didn't_ get the amulet last night?" Ryan smirked. "Vypra got beat by a 21st century alarm and some mall cops?"

"Those 'mall cops' are a very elite security force called the Silver Guardians," his father replied. "Their leader is a Power Ranger-the Quantum Ranger." He looked at the other man in the room. "Vypra's power must have had time to rebuild," he told Carter Grayson.

"If she didn't get it, she'll try again. If there's one thing I remember of Vypra, it's that she's persistent," Carter said. "I'll go to Silver Hills tonight, try to do some recon." He paused. "Did you say the Silver Guardians are led by a Power Ranger?"

"Yes, and there's also an active team there. Reports say they're calling themselves Time Force. They've got their own set of trouble," Bill said, bringing up a newspaper clipping with a fuzzy shot of Ransik and Nadira. "I'm afraid with Vypra on the loose it may be more than they can handle." He looked at Carter. "It may be necessary to recall the others."

Ryan started to say something, but Carter cut him off. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," he decided. "Stuff was just getting back to normal," he added. "I don't want to interfere with that if I don't have to."

Bill nodded in agreement. "Fine. We'll keep this to ourselves for the moment." He went over to the safe on the wall and keyed in some numbers. He pulled a slick-looking silver briefcase from the safe and popped the lock. "You'll probably want this again."

The five Rescue Morphers and Ryan's Titanium Morpher sat inside on the black felt.

Carter reached in, selecting Rescue Morpher 1. He strapped it to his wrist and rubbed the device gingerly. "Never thought I'd be wearing you again," he told it. It felt strange to be putting it on again, but he felt the familiar hum of Power that came with it.

"Do you two wanna be alone?" Ryan teased. Carter offered him a tense smile. He looked up at Bill. "Is the voice activation code still the same?"

Bill nodded. "Everything's the same." He flipped Carter a set of keys. "The Rover is parked in the garage. Check things out in Silver Hills and report back. Don't give away your ranger identity unless it's a necessity."

"Can I go with him?" Ryan asked. Bill shook his head. "I need you to brief me more on this super demon. This is only recon for the moment, and Carter can handle that." Ryan nodded, and Carter could see the disappointment in his future brother-in-law's eyes. "I want to hear this too," he said. "If I'm going in, I want all the information I can get."

"It would be nice if Time Force had this in hand," Bill said. "But I have a feeling things will only get worse before they get better."


	18. The Reunion Tour

_Silver Hills_

That evening, the five Time Force rangers waited outside the museum. "Anything?" Trip asked.

"Nothing yet. But keep an eye out," Wes replied.

"Be ready, guys," Jen said. "Lucas, Katie, see anything?"

"No sign of any activity," Lucas replied. "Do you-"

"Something's materializing," Jen interrupted. She pointed. "There."

The five of them watched as Ransik and Nadira, along with some Cyclobots, appeared in front of the doors. One of the bots poked his finger in the lock. Jen heard a whirring sound, and the door popped open. Ransik laughed, and walked in like he owned the place.

" _Now_ ," Wes hissed, and they stood up to move in. A blast of energy sent them flying back. Wes groaned on the ground and raised his head painfully. Standing at the museum doors was a woman, by the looks of it, the same woman Eric had fought the night before.

She frowned. " _More_ Rangers?"

"She knows who we are?" Trip asked, coming gingerly to a standing position.

Vypra raised her eyes, an unearthly shade of blue-white, to the sky. "Destroy them!" she yelled at her companions.

"Apparently," Katie muttered.

Vypra's five hellhounds appeared in a flash of light beside her. "What the-" Lucas said, before another blast of combined energy sent the Time Force rangers reeling. This was immediately followed by another, this one brighter, more compact. Just before it hit them, Lucas thought he could make out two eyes and a snarling face in the blast before it nailed them, knocking them to the pavement and throwing them out of morph.

* * *

Carter Grayson saw a flash of energy from the freeway leading into Silver Hills. "Captain, where's that coming from?" he asked into his cell phone. He could hear clicking, knowing that Bill was feeding his GPS location and the energy location into the computer at the Aquabase.

" _The address is 1514 Olivier_ ," Bill responded. " _Shows as the Silver Hills Museum._ "

"Got it. I'm on my way!" Carter floored the Rescue Rover and roared off the closest exit, praying he'd make it in time. The front doors of the museum came into view, and Carter spotted Vypra, two humanoid figures he didn't recognize, five _ugly_ looking…things, and five people in helmets and boots of coordinating red, yellow, green, blue and pink. "I'm just outside the museum. Looks like the Time Force is here."

A blast from an explosion knocked a tree down, and Carter swerved out of the way, barely missing it, and slammed on the brakes. "They cut off access on this side, I'll have to go in on the other block." He gunned the engine, throwing the Rescue Rover into a tight three point turn.

There was a bright flash and another large explosion. _Damn it,_ Carter thought. _I may be too late._ "Sir," he said, "I think revealing myself as a Ranger is going to be a necessity."

* * *

The five Time Force rangers lay on the ground. Wes was seething. He heard Jen and Katie groaning in pain behind him as they watched Vypra, holding a glowing yellow object, Ransik, Nadira and their cronies disappear in a flash of light, Nadira's grating, high-pitched laugh fading away with them. "You guys okay?" Wes asked his team. Trip and Lucas both gave him painful nods. "What _were_ those things?" Trip asked.

"They weren't mutants, that's for sure," Jen groaned, standing.

Wes heard crunching gravel, and bright red and blue emergency lights reflected off the chunks of sidewalk and planter. At first, he thought it might be Eric and the Silver Guardians, but a bright yellow Hummer rolled to a stop in front of them. The driver left the engine running as he jumped out and made his way toward them. He stopped in front of the lights of the vehicle as Wes and his team slowly stood. "Who are you?" Jen demanded.

The young blonde man looked around at the destruction. Then he said, "You're going to need my help. Carter Grayson, Lightspeed Rescue. Red Ranger."

* * *

The Time Force Rangers hitched a ride from Carter in the Rescue Rover back to the clock tower after introductions. Carter didn't even have time to appreciate it before the rain started to fall, sending them running inside. Wes and his team ushered him up a winding staircase. "Wow," Carter said as he followed the team to the bell tower. "You guys live here?"

"Home sweet home," Trip replied with a grin, flopping onto a secondhand couch and tossing his hat away. His bright green hair shook loose and Carter caught a glimpse of a bright green stone in the center of his forehead. He looked away, trying not to stare.

"We'll set up a spare bunk for you," Wes told Carter. "You can crash here tonight."

"Thanks," Carter said. It wouldn't be much different than sleeping at Ladder 4. Despite the failure earlier in the evening, Carter had poured over articles from the Silver Hills Centurion, and he knew these guys were good and since they were owners of the same Power as he was, he trusted them completely. He wandered over to the window and looked out. "You can see the whole city from up here," he noted. It was great for tactical advantage. A bolt of lightning struck a skyscraper downtown, and thunder rattled the tower. "This is cool," he said. "I mean, the Aquabase was pretty sweet but, this is really cool."

"You should see it in 3000," Lucas muttered under his breath to Katie, and Katie grinned, but shut up instantly when Jen shot them both a Look.

Carter looked at them. "What?" The rational part of his brain obviously had missed something.

Wes crossed his arms over his chest and looked at his teammates with a grin. He knew Lucas and Katie had made a mistake, and he was just waiting to see how they dug themselves out of the hole.

Jen glared at her two teammates.

"What?" Carter repeated. He pointed at Lucas and Katie. "Did I miss something?"

Wes looked at Jen. Jen sighed, then nodded once. Wes turned to his fellow red ranger. "Jen, Katie, Trip and Lucas are from the year 3000. They came back in time to stop Ransik-he's like our Vypra-from changing the future."

"If he changes the future, they might not even _exist_ in 3000!" a mechanical voice informed him. Something flew past his ear, and Carter ducked. "What the-"

"Circuit!" Trip admonished something sitting up in the rafters.

"What _was_ that?" Carter asked, following Trip's gaze. A pair of big, round, yellow eyes stared back at him from the ceiling, and then suddenly, they _moved_. A blue owl filled his vision. Carter noticed two things: one, the owl wasn't flapping its wings, and two, it was mechanical.

"Carter, this is Circuit," Wes introduced the two of them. "He mostly belongs to Trip."

"Also from the future?" Carter asked him.

"You betcha!" Circuit assured him.

Carter considered it. "Okay," he said.

The four Time Force rangers from the future exchanged glances. "That's it?" Jen said disbelievingly. "Just 'okay'?"

Carter turned to her and pointed outside. "I spent a year of my life fighting demons. You guys are asking about mutants. I've talked to a mechanical owl." He shrugged and tapped his morpher. "Oh, and we all drive giant robots and wear color coded uniforms in our side jobs."

"Guy's got a point," Lucas said, and everyone laughed.

"Good, that means I don't have to try to hide this," Katie said, picking up the couch and Trip and sliding them over easily, making room for Jen to unfold a small cot.

Carter gaped. "Remind me not to challenge you to an arm wrestling match," he told the Yellow Ranger, and Katie winked.

* * *

The next morning, the Time Force team gathered around their small table with the holoscreen that was their link to 3000. Carter had been up since the crack of dawn, still on his firefighting schedule, and had found a 7-Eleven and brought back breakfast. As they passed it around, Wes asked, "So what did Vypra take from the museum?"

"It's called the Solar Amulet," Carter said.

"Ransik never cared about the Solar Amulet," Jen pointed out. "So why does Vypra want it so bad?"

Carter turned to the Pink Ranger. "The amulet holds powers from the Shadow World. "

"The _what_?" Katie asked, brows furrowed.

"Shadow World." Carter paused. "Sorry. That's the PG version. I guess the correct version would be Hell."

"Ooo…kay…" Lucas frowned. "And so…what will she do with amulet?"

"Now that she has it she'll use her black magic to raise a superdemon," Carter explained.

"Magic?" Trip asked.

"Demons?" Wes looked at Carter for clarification. " _That's_ what those things were at the museum last night?"

Carter nodded. "Well, Vypra was. I'm not sure what those other five things were."

"Ugly," Lucas suggested, and Carter shrugged agreeably.

"A _de_ mon?" Jen said, her voice rising on the word. "How do we fight _that_?"

Carter smiled thinly, despite the seriousness of the situation. "It won't be easy. But I have some friends who can help," he said. "I just need to make a few phone calls." He was disappointed. He was going to be asking a lot from his team. But he also knew them. He knew they'd come to help.

"While you do that," Wes said, "Trip, let's do a search of the city. Look for power surges or any unusual activity-"

"Check for break ins," Carter put in. "Or reports of strange disturbances."

"-Or that," Wes added. "Let's see if we can't find Vypra and Ransik and pay them a visit."

* * *

_Mariner Bay_

Kelly Armstrong waited patiently as the doctor finished adjusting her purple sling. She'd requested purple to match her cast on her arm. The doctor velcroed the last strap in place, and then handed Katie a red lollipop. Kelly took it with her good hand and smiled widely. "Thanks, Doctor Dana!"

Dana smiled as Kelly hopped off the table. "Just remember, if you're going to keep climbing trees, you need to be more careful."

"I will!" Kelly promised. The door to the room opened and Kelly's mother poked her head in. She gave Dana a grateful smile as Kelly ducked under her arm. They let the door close, and Dana sat down at her desk with a sigh of relief. Kelly had been her fourth patient and it was barely noon.

"Nice work, Dr. Dana," her supervising doctor said from his position in the window. Dana grinned. _Doctor Dana._ The thought made her warm inside. "Thank you," she replied.

"I'm going to run down to the cafeteria. Are you okay here?"

Dana nodded. "I'll find things to do," she said.

Her intercom crackled to life. "Dana, there's a call for you on line two." The nurse patched the call through. "Dana Mitchell," she announced.

_"Good morning, Doctor Mitchell."_

"Carter!" Dana smiled. "It's actually afternoon now, you know." She tapped the door closed with her heel to make sure it latched.

She noted Carter sounded hollow, like he was on his cell phone. "Where are you?" she asked him. Then she looked at the time. "Did you just get off?"

 _"I'm in Silver Hills,"_ Carter told her, his tone turning into what Dana had called his 'Red Ranger Mode' back in the day. _"Your dad called me late last night."_

Dana frowned. "What kind of trouble did you get yourself into, Carter Grayson?"

There was a pause on the end of the line. " _Vypra's back,"_ Carter said finally, and Dana almost dropped the phone. She slid out of her chair onto the floor, not even noticing the cold tile.

"How is that possible?" she whispered.

" _Your dad and Ryan picked up an emergency signal at Rescue Ops last night,"_ Carter said. _"Bill asked if I'd take a look into it."_

"Why didn't he call me?" Dana wondered.

_"He probably didn't want you to worry. And didn't you have a surgery scheduled for last night?"_

"It got moved. I spent last night doing paperwork," she replied. She looked at her planner. "I think I can have Dr. Delaney take over the rest of my calls for the afternoon. Where should I meet you?"

 _"Can you get ahold of Chad? "_ Carter asked her after he rattled off an address and she committed it to memory. _"I've got Kelsey and Joel's numbers but I think Chad got a new one and I don't have it."_

"Kelsey will. I'll tell Ryan too." Dana sighed. "Looks like we're getting the band back together."

 _"I was hoping we wouldn't have to,"_ Carter replied. _"Dana, this isn't going to mess with your observations is it?"_

"I'm hoping saving the world trumps my observations," Dana replied. "Don't worry. It'll be fine. I love you, I'll see you in a few hours."

Dana hung up the phone before Carter could respond and dialed the nurse. "Sarah, I'm taking the afternoon. Tell Dr. Delaney that it's Ranger related and he can call my dad if he wants more details. Please let Dr. Delaney know." She hung up. Her first stop was going to be Rescue Ops to talk to her father.

* * *

Adrenaline coursed through Kelsey's veins. She shifted in her rollerblades, waiting for her turn on the course. She was close enough now to see the layout. She mentally began choreographing tricks in her mind, placing a tailgrab here, a somersault there.

A stopwatch ticked. "Winslow. Go." Kelsey began weaving through the cones laid out on the track. As she skated around the last one in sequence, she became aware that her cell phone was vibrating in her pocket. _Let's see how the judges like this_ , she thought. She turned backwards, skating backwards toward a ramp, and answered it. "Hello?"

_"Kelsey? This a bad time?"_

"Carter!" Kelsey turned around again just in time to catch the ramp and get a killer jump. She landed on one foot. "Now's an OK time," she said. "What's up?"

_"Where are you at?"_

"The skate park by the beach," Kelsey replied. She slid past the finish line and darted over to a corner. Carter had his Red Ranger voice on. "What's up?"

" _Dana can be there in about twenty minutes. I need you guys to grab Chad and Joel and meet me in Silver Hills."_

"Chad's easy," Kelsey replied. "He's on duty down at the beach-we just had lunch together. But Joel's another story."

_"What do you mean?"_

"Today's the day he and Miss Fairweather-Angela-leave for their honeymoon. The Hawaii cruise?"

_"That's right. Kelsey, I gotta go. See you in a couple hours."_

"Sure, no problem." Kelsey hung up and skated over to the lockers where she'd left her clothes and backpack. She wondered what was so important that it merited Carter interrupting Joel Rawlings' honeymoon…

And then it clicked. Her, Chad, Joel. Dana. This was a Lightspeed problem. She grabbed her backpack and skated off down the boardwalk, dialing Ryan at the same time. _He was right._

* * *

The convertible pulled into one of the long-term parking places at the Long Beach Pier. Angela Rawlings climbed out of the driver's seat , wearing a floppy brimmed hat, scarf and skirt. She closed her eyes, smelling the salt air, and then she turned to the man who'd just gotten out on the passenger side. "Hawaii, here we come!"

Joel tapped the brim of his Sky Cowboy hat. He smiled at his new bride. "Nothing is going to get between us and our honeymoon." He waggled his eyebrows and Angela Rawlings gave him a mock surprised look. "Joel Rawlings," she drawled. "I'm surprised at you."

"Angela Rawlings," he countered with his signature grin, "you should be used to it by now!"

The moment was interrupted by a ringing cell phone. Both of them immediately grabbed their phones, thinking it was theirs. But it was Joel's. "Hello?" Joel demanded, annoyed with both the caller and himself for not shutting it off before he got to the ship."Carter? Look, whatever it is, no w-hey!" Angela had plucked the phone out of his grip. He shot her a surprised and hurt look.

"What is it Carter?"

 _"Hi Angela. I'm sorry to interrupt. I wouldn't if it wasn't important,"_ Carter told her sincerely. _"I need to borrow Joel. Vypra's back, somehow, and I'm in Silver Hills, and we need him."_

Angela looked at her fiancé. "He'll be there," she told Carter, and Joel's jaw dropped. She hung up.

"And what was that?" Joel demanded, as she handed him back his phone. He pointed to the gargantuan cruise ship that loomed behind him. "Hawaii is calling."

"Joel, Vypra's back," Angela said, and Joel's heart sank. "Carter and your team need you."

"We can't just cancel our honeymoon," Joel protested.

She sighed. "This is why we got insurance on the trip."

"No we got insurance in case one of us breaks a leg. _Not_ in case of demon attack.'" He kissed her on the nose. "You know if they get Ryan to go, they'll have five guys, they won't need the lean green fighting machine."

"But they might need the Green Mega Battle," Angela countered. "Go, Joel. I'll call our travel agent."

He brought her in for a long kiss. "Something to remember me by," Joel grinned. "A promise of things to come."

"I'll be waiting," Angela said with a smile. "Go on, Cowboy." As Joel took the keys from her and pulled away, Angela closed her eyes. _Be safe_ …. _and hurry back_. She took their two bags and rolled them behind her heading for the terminal to check in. She crossed her fingers they'd arrived early enough that Joel could handle whatever Carter needed and then come back.

* * *

The waves at Mariner Beach were hopping. At Tower 4, a figure in orange shorts kept a close eye on the water. He was watching the surfers and the amateur boogie boarders riding the waves.

Chad was enjoying his job today. It was cool when whales would pop up on their way to or from Alaska and he really liked spending most of his day outdoors. Later he had a training session with his old sensei, who had actually asked him if he could teach a class a couple nights a week. Rachel had encouraged him to do it, knowing it was something he liked to do.

His phone rang, and he bent down to pick it up, his girlfriend on his mind. "Hi honey."

 _"Hey yourself, sweetheart."_ The voice was laughing.

Chad grinned. "Sorry Carter. Thinkin' about something else."

_"How're the waves?"_

"Larger than life. Sure I can't talk you into a surfing lesson on your day off?"

He heard Carter sigh. _"Pass. You know me, I like my feet on the sand. Listen, I need your help."_

"What is it?" Chad asked instantly.

_"Dana'll be coming by in about a half hour. Vypra somehow managed to claw her way out of Hell and she's back wreaking havoc in Silver Hills."_

"I'll be there," the former Blue Lightspeed Ranger said instantly. "You can count on it."

_"I know it. Be seeing you."_

Chad hung up the phone and looked up just in time to see his shift replacement coming up the beach on a 4x4. _Perfect timing._ Chad grabbed his duffel with his clothes and was sprinting up toward the boardwalk. Carter had said a half hour. He'd be ready in ten minutes.

* * *

Dana met her father in his office. "Hi Dad," she said. She tried to inject some happiness into her voice, but she was already worried for Carter, worried for what was coming.

Bill gave his daughter a hug. "Hi, honey," he replied. "I take it you're here for the Rescue Morphers?"

She nodded. "I didn't think we'd have to use them again," she said. "Truth be told, I was really enjoying a 'normal' life." Bill heard the disappointment in her voice.

"I know, sweetheart," he said, and he gave her another hug. He went over to his wall safe, and punched the combination. The door popped open with a hiss, and he pulled out a small briefcase. Closing the safe, he handed the case to Dana. Dana popped the locks open. Inside, sitting on the felt, were five silver morphers. The slot for Carter's-the Red Rescue Morpher- was empty, but Ryan's Titanium Morpher sat on the end.

"Where is Ryan?" Dana asked, looking at her brother's morpher.

"Computer lab," he replied. He gave her a small smile. Dana could tell by his change in tone and demeanor that he and Ryan had had another argument. She sighed.

She looked at the case in her hands. "I have to go," Dana said. "If we need him, we'll call." She gave her father a tight hug. "I love you, Dad," she told him. "Tell Ryan for me too, okay?"

"Love you too," he responded, as Dana disappeared down to the garage to pick up her father's recently requisitioned government-issued SUV.

* * *

Five minutes after Dana left, Ryan Mitchell knocked quietly on his father's office door. "Dad?" Ryan asked, poking his head in the door.

"Ryan," his father acknowledged. "Come on in." Ryan stepped just inside the door and leaned up against the wall.

"There's no counterspell," Ryan said finally. "So if Quarganon rises, it'll take Power Rangers to beat him." He sat down on the edge of his dad's desk. "I need my morpher."

"I know," Bill replied. He pushed Ryan's morpher across his desk. "The Titanium Ranger is needed in Silver Hills."

"I wish he wasn't," Ryan said.

Bill thought a moment. "Dana took the car..." Then he smiled, and made a phone call. "Al," he said into the phone. Ryan strapped his morpher to his wrist as he listened to his dad's side of the conversation. "It's been a long time. Look, I need to get my son to Silver Hills. I hear you've been having an _interesting_ time." He paused, chuckled. "Twenty minutes sounds perfect." He hung up.

"Your ride'll be outside on the helipad in twenty minutes." He looked at his son. "I suggest you grab your jacket."

Ryan nodded. "Thanks, Dad."

"Be careful, son." Bill said. As Ryan left the room, Bill rested his head in his hands. He was sending his children and their friends into danger again. He prayed they'd come back safely.


	19. A Short-Lived Victory

"Think I got something guys," Trip said. He pointed to the screen, a green street grid on a black background. A blue triangle was pulsing on the edge of it. "It's faint, but it looks like there's a energy signature coming from this building." He looked at Wes. "What is that?"

"It's the old subway," Wes said, leaning over his shoulder to look at the map projection. "It was going to be the hub for the outlying suburbs, but they went overbudget and had to quit the project. It's just sort of sitting there now." He shrugged. "Guess the city doesn't want to start a new city project that might get stepped on by a mutant."

"It's the perfect place for Ransik to hang out," Jen said.

Carter nodded. "And where he is, Vypra will be." He looked at Wes. "Let's go get them."

"What about us?" Jen asked.

Before Wes could answer, Trip spoke up again. "How about we go check out report of a disturbance at the old paper plant?" he suggested. He pointed to the holoscreen. "It's not too far from there. This just came across the Silver Guardians network."

Wes raised an eyebrow. "Trip, did you _hack_ the Silver Guardians?"

Trip's ears tinged pink. "Maybe…" he admitted.

Wes grinned, exchanging a look with Jen. "I love it." Off Carter's somewhat disapproving look, Wes shrugged. "We have a history with them."

"More like a mutual dislike," Jen clarified. Carter didn't say anything. It wasn't his place. He didn't know the situation.

"Keep tabs on that, you guys. If we need you, we'll call for backup," Wes told Jen. Jen nodded. "Let's go, Carter," Wes said.

* * *

The two Red Rangers could feel it as they got closer to the old subway terminal. "You feel that?" Carter asked.

"Yup," Wes said. "That fun tingly feeling you get when there's a bad guy nearby." And then he pointed. "Look!"

Carter saw it. A hazy disturbance in the air just above the building. If you weren't looking you wouldn't see it. It shot skyward in almost a perfectly straight line. It looked like a mirage effect.

"This's definitely it." Carter jumped out of the Rescue Rover, Wes following. He held his communicator up. "Guys, I think we definitely have something. Meet us at abandoned subway," Wes radioed Jen. Then, he followed Carter into the building. Down below, he could hear chanting coming from the platform.

"… _where no mortal would dare to go_ …"

"She's starting the ritual," Wes whispered to Carter.

"I hear it," Carter said. The two came to a stop above the platform. They saw Vypra, and two people Carter figured were Nadira and Ransik, along with some foot-soldier looking creatures. They were huddled around a small altar, and on top of it, the Solar Amulet glowed bright gold.

"We've gotta stop that ritual," Wes said.

"Got a plan?" Carter asked.

Wes shook his head. "Kinda making it up as I go."

Carter nodded. "I can work with that." Then, he vaulted over the staircase, somersaulted, and came up immediately next to Vypra. With a spinning kick that he did mostly out of instinct, he knocked the amulet from the altar. It flew into the air, and Carter dove across the room so it landed in his hands. He couldn't help but smile. The Power was surging through him like a crazy adrenaline rush. _Feels good to be back_.

" _You_!" Vypra hissed in recognition and Carter gave her a two-fingered salute. Nearby, Wes easily handled a few of the foot soldiers, then dropped into a defensive stance and faced Ransik and Nadira.

"I see you're still keeping bad company," Carter told Vypra. The demon princess narrowed her eyes at the former Red Ranger.

"Yes, and we have something in common. We both wanna destroy rangers!" That came from Ransik with a low growl. He pulled a sword from- _was that his knee?_ Carter wondered- and pointed it at Carter. Purple energy swirled around the blade, and then Carter felt himself lifted off his feet and slammed into wall. He hit the ground on his hands and knees. _Ohh…I don't miss this part._ He had managed to hold onto the amulet though.

"Carter!" Wes yelled. He backflipped over to his friend, and picked him up. "Let's go," he said. Carter tucked the amulet into his Lightspeed jacket.

"No!" he heard Nadira cry from behind them. The two red rangers ran for the stairwell as Vypra blasted the base of the stairs with blue energy, just narrowly missing them.

Wes and Carter broke out above ground and ran for the Rescue Rover. Carter vaulted over the hood. "Come on!" he yelled. Wes whipped open the passenger side door and jumped in as Carter revved the engine and threw the Rover in gear. "Let's get back to your team," Carter said, slamming his foot on the gas. They tore away from the subway station.

Wes glanced back. "I think we lost 'em," he said, and he and Carter exchanged high fives. Just then, the pavement crackled ahead of them, and a dumpster burst into flame.

"Think again!" Carter looked in the rearview. "You gotta be _kidding_ me."

"What's that?" Wes asked.

"It's Vypra, " Carter said. "And I see she wasn't the only thing resurrected from the Shadow World." _And how_ that _was...I don't even want to know_.

Wes chanced a glance backwards to see Vypra tailing them, in a silver and black little go-kart looking thing. It was so small compared to the Rescue Rover he would have laughed, except she chose that moment to fire at them, engulfing the Hummer in blue energy. Wes felt them slowing down.

Carter swore. "It's dead. She must have fried the battery." He pulled it in next to a stucco building. "Where the hell are we?" Carter asked as Wes and he climbed out of the vehicle. Wes looked around. "The paper factory," he realized. "Jen and the others should be around here somewhere."

"We need to find cover," Carter said. He pulled the amulet from the inside pocket of his Lightspeed jacket. "We need to hide this thing."He patted the Rescue Rover. "I'm coming back for you," he promised it. Then, he pointed toward an open warehouse door. "Let's go that way," he decided, and he and Wes took off at a jog.

The warehouse exploded in front of them, and they turned to see Vypra and the Vyprari closing in. "Carter!" Wes yelled. "Let's go this way."

He hit a solid wall. "Whoa!" Instead of falling, he felt himself being lifted into the air by a meaty hand on his neck. Wes stared into the scarred face of Ransik. "Going somewhere?" the mutant crime lord sneered. With one hand, he flung Wes into a pile of discarded pallets and cardboard boxes. The Time Force ranger hit _hard_ , smashing a wooden pallet, and rolling onto his stomach onto the pavement.

He didn't move.

"Wes!" Carter cried. He ran over to his fallen friend and knelt down. "Come on Wes, I got you." The firefighter looked up at Ransik and Vypra, who were now both standing in front of them. Carter felt for a pulse. Wes was alive, but that crash landing hurt. He felt his friend move, and Wes opened his eyes.

"You get the plate of the truck that hit me?" he asked, wincing with every word.

Carter choked out a laugh. "Yeah. The drivers are here, waiting to exchange insurance information." He helped Wes stand. The two red rangers glared at Vypra and Ransik.

"I'll take the amulet." The way Ransik said it, he wasn't giving Carter a choice.

Carter looked down at the artifact, kept it in a white-knuckled grip. "Never!" he declared.

* * *

Ryan stepped out into the parking lot of the Lightspeed building just as the black chopper touched down. He jogged over to it. "You Ryan Mitchell?" the pilot yelled over the sound of the blades.

"Yeah! You my ride?"

"Get in!" Ryan jumped in the passenger seat and strapped in, tugging on a headset as the helicopter lifted off the roof. He kept one hand on his morpher.

"When we get to Silver Hills, you'll be met by one of Mr. Collins' top officers," the pilot told Ryan as he angled north. "Just be warned, he's a little bit of an asshole."

"Looking forward to it," Ryan replied. The guy could've been a yeti, and he wouldn't care as long as he had a ride to find his sister. The pilot chuckled.

The flight to Silver Hills took less time than Ryan was expecting, but still more than he wanted. Somewhere down there, Dana and everybody else was about to take on a super demon, and he had to find them.

Ryan could see bright red letters detailed as saying "BIOLAB" on the side of the building they were about to land on. "What's BioLab?" he asked.

"Genetic research," the pilot replied. "Owned by Albert Collins." He looked around, as if someone could eavesdrop on them inside the chopper. "His son's Wes Collins, the Red Time Force Power Ranger."

"Really?" Ryan asked. "My friend Carter's the Red Lightspeed Ranger," he said. "They're here in Silver Hills. I'm supposed to meet up with them."

"Crazy stuff's been happening all year," the pilot said. "If you guys can make it stop, I'm all for it."

"We'll try," Ryan told him as the skids touched down.

The chopper blades wound down, and the pilot and Ryan got out of the helicopter and ran for the stairwell. The pilot led Ryan to an elevator bay and punched the button for the ground floor. The lower they got, Ryan could start to feel a tingle in his arms and legs. It was a side effect of being a ranger. It was just a feeling you got, a sense of something powerful happening and the Power itself merging with his body. He looked out into the city. He was so intent on the source that he missed something his pilot said. "Sorry. What?"

"I said, that's your ride, right there." He pointed to a black SUV on the ground. Standing next to it was a man about Carter's age in dark navy coveralls and a red beret. "That's Eric Meyers," he said by way of explanation. "The Quantum Ranger."

The elevator stopped, and Ryan stepped out. The pilot got back in and headed back up, leaving Ryan alone with Eric Meyers. The Quantum Ranger didn't take off his sunglasses, nor did he offer Ryan a hand.

"You Mitchell?" Eric asked.

"You Meyers?" Ryan countered.

The two sixth rangers sized each other up silently.

Eric nodded once. "Let's go." Ryan climbed into the SUV and Eric gunned the engine. They tore into traffic going far above the posted limit. "We in a hurry or something?" Ryan asked him.

Eric's response was to flip a switch on the console. Ryan could hear voices. Carter, and another man he didn't recognize. Then he heard Vypra. An English-sounding or Australian-sounding accent... "What did you do, bug them?" Ryan asked. "Is that legal?"

His ride didn't answer for a moment. "Hey, Silent Ranger," Ryan said, annoyed by the lack of information. "We're on the same side. I need info. That's my best friend and my sister's fiancé I'm hearing. And they're in trouble." He was beginning to wish he had his own ride-any of the Lightspeed zords or Carter's Armored Cycle.

"We're tapped into security feeds at the paper mill," Eric said finally. Ryan couldn't see his face for his sunglasses, but he thought Eric might've been looking at him.

Ryan nodded, listening to the conversation. Carter had the Solar Amulet. It sounded like he was threatening to smash it. "Do it, Carter," he muttered. He thought he saw Eric nod approvingly.

Then, all hell broke loose over the radio.


	20. Time For Lightspeed

_Ten seconds earlier_

Carter raised the Solar Amulet, preparing to shatter it all over the concrete.

"I'll pick up the museum's tab," Wes whispered. Then, louder, " _Do it_!"

Nadira's piercing laugh interrupted. "I wouldn't do that, Red Ranger!" she practically cackled.

"Why not?" Carter shot back, but Wes grabbed his shoulder. "Oh no," Wes said. Carter felt Wes's fingers digging into his shoulder.

The five creepy hellhounds that had clawed their way from the depths with Vypra had arrived. And with them, dragged Lucas, Katie, Trip and Jen. "They must've ambushed them," Wes grimaced. His team looked fine, no visible injuries, though Jen looked mad as hell and Trip was grimacing in pain from an arm lock. The hellhound in the red mask was glaring at Wes, practically chomping at the bit to come after him.

The two sides were at an impasse. If Carter smashed the amulet, the hellhounds would make short work of Wes's unmorphed team. But if they gave the amulet to Vypra…it might not matter.

"Smash it Carter!" Jen yelled.

Carter raised the amulet above his head again, but then, with a frustrated yell, stopped. He looked at Ransik and Vypra, fire in his stormy gray eyes. "Take it," he hissed. "And let them go."

"I'll take that," Vypra, plucking the amulet from Carter's outstretched hand. Carter glared at her.

"There's still time." Vypra held one hand over the amulet. Wes looked back at his team. They'd stopped struggling, watching Vypra nervously. She didn't waste any time in beginning the ritual once again.

"From the deepest shadows far below, where no mortal would dare to go, only demons toss and burn….now mighty Quarganon, it's your time to return!" The amulet exploded, and in its place stood a seven foot tall, black, horned demon. Quarganon was _ugly_ , and that was saying something. Unlike some of the other demons which had looked downright cartoonish, Quarganon oozed evil. Smelled like it too. Carter could smell sulfur, and the demon's eyes were pitch black. It was not a stretch of the imagination to realize that he'd indeed been summoned from Hell.

The hellhounds tossed the Time Force team at Wes and Carter. The weight of Lucas and Katie sent Carter staggering into a wall. Wes helped Jen to a standing position. "You okay?" Wes asked.

"You shouldn't have given him the amulet, Carter," Jen said.

The Lightspeed Ranger looked at her. "I didn't have a choice," Carter said. "I wouldn't endanger your team like that."

"Quarganon," Vypra said sweetly. The black demon turned to look at her. "Destroy them!"

The demon smiled, or made his face into what Wes assumed was a smile. "It will be my pleasure." His voice was gravelly and pitched low. He took a step toward the group.

Carter saw laser blasts, bouncing the demon back. Quarganon howled in surprise. A familiar voice yelled, "Carter!"

He looked over….and breathed a huge sigh of relief, as one by one, Dana, Joel, Kelsey and Chad let loose with another barrage of shots, sending Vypra, Ransik, Nadira and Quarganon staggering back a few feet.

"Who are they?" Lucas asked.

"That," Carter said proudly, his eyes on the blonde in the Lightspeed Jacket labeled "5", "is my team."

"It's the Lightspeed Rangers!" Trip was practically bouncing, despite the situation.

Dana led the others over to the group. Carter could see her checking him over, and he pulled her into a hug. "Fashionably late," Carter teased her. Then, more seriously, "Thanks," he said.

"You're welcome." She glanced at Wes and the Time Force Rangers. "Who're your friends?"

"Introductions'll have to wait," Carter told her, seeing Ransik and the others regroup. "We've got something a little more pressing."

" _Ten_ rangers?" Ransik said, sounding surprised.

Before anyone else could comment, the group hears screeching tires and a rumbling engine, coming in hot.

* * *

Ryan heard the accented male say, " _Ten_ Rangers?" just as he and Eric pulled up to the fight.

Eric swung the SUV in a tight circle, and the thing was barely in park before Ryan jumped out of the passenger side and Eric ran around the front of the car. Ryan pointed at Ransik.

"You mean _twelve_ ," he countered.

Before Vypra or Ransik could come up with a response, Eric and Ryan had joined their teams across from Ransik, Vypra, Nadira, and Quarganon.

"You ready?" Carter asked Wes.

Wes nodded. "Hell, yes."

"I've been waiting for this for a _long_ time," Vypra hissed at them.

"Well we won't keep you waiting!" Dana shot back.

"Don't worry," Joel said. "We know you missed Hell. We've got an express lane to send you back!"

"And all your friends with you!" Kelsey assured her.

Carter glanced behind him. "Ready?" he asked his team. He got five nods in return. Carter thrust his arms out in front of him, his thumb and index finger activating his morpher, and heard his team yell behind him:

"Lightspeed Rescue!"

Ryan threw a hand in the air, the sunlight powering his morpher. "Titanium Power!" he called out.

"Let's do this, guys," Wes told his team. He held up his left wrist, knowing Jen, Trip, Katie and Lucas were following suit. "Time for Time Force!"

Eric spoke into his morpher. "Quantum Power!"

The voice-activated codes triggered a release of energy. Five seconds later, the two teams stood, fully energized and morphed, ready for action.

The adrenaline rush was incredible. "Lightspeed Rescue Red Ranger!" Carter yelled, feeling The Power surge through him. _Oh, yeah!_

Dana followed suit. "Lightspeed Rescue Pink Ranger!"

"Lightspeed Rescue Yellow Ranger!"

"Lightspeed Rescue Green Ranger!"

"Lightspeed Rescue Blue Ranger!"

"Titanium Ranger!" Ryan echoed. "Rescue ready!"

Next to them, Time Force stood, ready to go. "Time Force Red!" Wes called out.

"Time Force Pink!"

"Time Force Yellow!"

"Time Force Blue!"

"Time Force Green!"

"Quantum Ranger!"

The wall of residual energy burned off the twelve rangers, condensing and igniting just behind them. The resulting explosion wore off the last of the adrenaline, and what was left was solid energy. They were ready. To Dana, it felt like lightning, or electricity, running through her body. She'd forgotten how it felt-and it felt _amazing_.

"Let's do it!" Wes yelled, and the twelve of them charged. "Carter and I'll take Quarganon," Wes told his team.

"We've got the rest!" Trip told his team leader, and he and Joel charged the nearest hellhound.

* * *

Eric attacked the hellhound with the red face mask, sending it staggering with a well-placed kick. The hellhound didn't drop, though, and Eric aimed the Quantum Defender and fired at him. The shot went wide. Ryan followed after him with a shot from his Rescue Blaster and the two traded turns with rapid-fire shots. The hellhound dropped to one knee. Eric flipped over the top of the ugly beast, and on his way down, twisted to fire at him again. Ryan added a blast at the same time, and the hellhound was blasted into the pavement...and disappeared.

"Nice shooting," Ryan told Eric from behind his visor.

"Not bad yourself," Eric replied, the closest thing to a compliment he was willing to give.

* * *

Chad and Lucas teamed up on the one with the blue mask. Lucas had his Chrono Saber, while Chad preferred to use his feet. Lucas leapt off a couple of crates to get the upper hand but the hellhound spun away. Chad somersaulted and used a leg sweep, catching the hellhound at the ankles. Then, the two came at him at the same time with kicks to the chest, but it leapt out of the way. "I've had enough of this guy," Chad growled.

"That makes two of us," Lucas agreed.

* * *

Kelsey didn't wait for Katie as she went after the ugly thing with the yellow mask. The rush of energy surged through her and she managed to get in a good punch. Or she thought. The hellhound grabbed her arm and rammed a kick into her chest, sending her reeling. "Ow," she muttered, and then ducked as Katie came flying over the top of her with her twin blades, sending sparks flying as she raked the hellhound across the chest. "Got held up," Katie apologized. "You okay?"

Kelsey nodded and gave her a thumbs up.

* * *

Trip backflipped out of the way as Joel moved in on the hellhound with the green mask. Two hard rights and a left hook sent the hellhound backward and it growled at them menacingly.

"Is this normally what demons look like?" Trip asked as he attacked, kicking it in the chest and then dropping into a crouch.

"Nope!" Joel told him, using a pile of pallets and throwing himself into the air, hitting the hellhound with a scissor kick. It hit the pavement _hard_. "They're usually uglier," he told Trip.

Trip frowned behind his visor. "Oh."

* * *

Jen vaulted over a fire escape railing and used the momentum to launch herself off the hellhound with the pink mask and over its head. She hadn't seen the sword it was brandishing and as she looked down, it was coming right at her. Luckily, Dana was right behind it, firing her Rescue Blaster and nailing it point-blank in the back. She shoulder-rolled forward and joined Jen. "You all right?" Dana asked her.

"Good to go," Jen replied and nodded approvingly as the hellhound didn't get up again. "Good aim," she added.

"And to think I haven't had to shoot at anything in months," Dana shrugged. She looked around. "Have you seen Carter or Wes?"

They heard a low rumble. "I'm guessing they're on Quarganon," Jen said. "Let's go see if we can help the others."

"Okay," Dana said, trying to hide the worry in her voice. _Carter'll be okay. Wes has his back._

 _I hope_.

* * *

Quarganon had led Wes and Carter on a wild chase around the other side of the warehouse. The two traded kicks with the demon, gaining some ground here, losing ground again. "Carter, on your left!" Wes yelled, but Carter missed it and the demon tangled him up and he landed on his back. But Wes was there landing kick after kick. "I gotcha," Wes told Carter. Carter launched himself onto his feet and came at the demon again, but the demon caught his foot and threw him against the sheet metal wall. "He's definitely tougher than the ones from Mariner Bay," Carter groaned.

Quarganon sent Wes rolling over the top of some stacked boxes ready for shipping. "Well, you did say 'super' demon," Wes hissed in pain. Quarganon was swiftly joined by the remaining hellhounds, who took a menacing step toward them. Then he heard someone yell, "Mega Battle, activate!" and looked up to see Eric come sailing in with the Quantum Battleizer. He sent the demon spinning.

The Lightspeed Rangers regrouped, and Chad looked at Joel. "Mega Battles?" Chad asked.

Joel nodded. "Let's do it."

Chad punched in the code on his morpher. "Mega Battle Blue!" The giant water cannon and armor materialized and he gripped the trigger tightly with one hand as he changed the setting from water to the energy blast.

"Mega Battle Green!" Joel followed right behind him with his own armor, silently thanking his wife that she'd had the foresight to build it. And to send him along to Silver Hills today. _Damn it, I hate it when she's right_.

"Ready?" Dana yelled, aiming her blaster.

"Aim!" Kelsey acknowledged, sighting down the barrel.

"FIRE!" the four Lightspeed rangers yelled, and loosed everything they had at the hellhound with the blue mask, vaporizing him. "Yeah!" Joel yelled, pumping the air with his fist.

A few feet away, the Time Force rangers had gotten the green-masked beast in a four-way cross. On Jen's command, they fired. "Got him!" Katie cheered as it exploded and vanished from sight.

Jen looked around. Quarganon seemed to have disappeared, along with Carter and Wes. "Come on!" she yelled.

* * *

Wes and Carter had followed Quarganon, who had left the area with the big guns and was now out in the open near a loading platform. Carter took off after the super demon, while Wes battled Vypra, whom Carter knew never got her hands dirty if she could help it and had assumed Quarganon and the hellhounds would make short work of the Rangers. _Wrong again, Vypra_ , he thought.

Vypra wasn't bad with a blade, Wes noted, as he struggled to keep up with her. But he'd underestimated her, too used to Nadira, who mostly used her father or their lackeys to do her dirty work, and suddenly found himself on his back. Vypra loomed over him, her blade hovering inches from his throat.

Carter chanced a look backwards, and saw Wes. "Wes!" he yelled. It was just the distraction the Time Force Red Ranger needed to roll out of the way, but Vypra threw a blast of energy at him that sent him careening into a wall. Wes went down _hard_.

"Oh, no," Carter cried and ran over to Wes. "You okay?" he asked him.

"...Been better," Wes groaned weakly.

"This has been fun, but I've had enough!" Quarganon called out to the two red rangers. The demon's eyes glowed bright gold.

Carter clenched a fist. "So have I," he hissed as he whipped around to face the demon. Keying in the code, he yelled, "Trans Armor Cycle!"

From out of nowhere, the red cycle came roaring in on autopilot, and broke apart as it attached itself to Carter's suit. As he took aim, Wes managed to get to his feet. "Fire Battle Warrior, online!" he cried out, and a swirl of flames and energy surrounded him as the upgraded armor appeared and attached itself to his Time Force suit.

Quarganon and Vypra decided the direct approach was best, and charged the Rangers.

Chad, Joel, Eric, Wes and Carter stood at the ready, staring them down. "They're not stopping," Carter said.

"Wait til you see the whites of their eyes," he heard Eric growl from beside Wes.

"Let's finish this!" Wes yelled. "Ready?" he yelled.

The five rangers took aim. "Fire!" Wes commanded, and the energized weaponry vaporized Vypra and Quarganon in one blast. Their teammates joined them, in case they reappeared, but nothing happened.

"Yeah!" Trip cheered, giving a high-five to Kelsey. "We did it!"

"Any sign of Ransik or Nadira?" Katie asked, looking around.

"They lit out a while ago," Eric reported. "Too hot for Ransik."

"Power down!" Carter said, and his armor and suit disappeared. His knees sagged a little as the Power disappeared. He heard the others demorph around him, and four seconds later Dana's arms were around him.

"Are you okay?" she demanded of him, checking him over for any injuries.

He wrapped her hands with his to hold them still. "I'm fine, Dana. Just fine."

"Good!" She hit him hard in the chest.

"Ow!" he yelped in surprise. "What was _that_ for?"

"I _told_ you not to get into _any_ trouble before our wedding! I told you to stay-out-of-trouble!"

"Dude, you're getting married?" Lucas asked, earning himself a hit from Katie. "Stay out of this," she warned him.

"Yeah," Carter said, his eyes never leaving his fiancée. "Yeah, I'm getting married."

"You might not be after this!" Dana informed him.

He kissed her and after a moment she relaxed and returned it. When he let her go, she said, "You're only half-forgiven, Carter Grayson."

"Yeah, I know," he replied. He sighed. "Can we fight about this later?" He jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "Not in front of so many witnesses?"

It was then that Dana remembered they had an audience, and caught glimpses of Chad, Kelsey, Joel, Ryan, Jen, Katie, Lucas, Wes, Trip and Eric over his shoulder. Jen and Wes looked amused and Eric looked like he was just waiting for the first punch. "It's going to be _long_ drive back to Mariner Bay," Dana warned Carter.

"In the meantime," Carter said, trying to bring her back to the present, "Dana Mitchell, this is Wes, Jen, Katie, Trip and Lucas, the Time Force Rangers." He pointed to each one in turn, and Dana got either a wave or a smile from each. "And this is Eric, the Quantum Ranger," Carter added, pointing to Eric.

Eric offered a nod and nothing more. "He's the strong silent type," Wes told her, and Eric shot the Red Ranger a death glare.

"I see," Dana said, nodding.

"Guys, this is my team," Carter introduced them. "That's Kelsey, Chad, Joel and my fiancée Dana, the Lightspeed Rescue Rangers-"

Wes started humming a song under his breath, and Kelsey started laughing. "Oh my God, I never realized that before!" she told him, smiling widely.

"What?" Ryan asked, looking confused.

Wes glanced at him. "You don't know that song? It's from that cartoon-"

"I'll explain it to him later," Kelsey told Wes. "Ryan's not up on his pop culture."

"And this is Dana's brother Ryan, the Titanium Ranger," Carter finished, cutting into the conversation and nodding to Ryan.

"Do you guys have anyplace to be?" Katie asked. "There's pizza at the clock tower, and I'd say saving the world from an evil demon earns us a party."

Carter looked at his team. "What do you say, guys?"

"One slice," Joel said immediately. "And then I have a honeymoon to make."

"Deal," Wes said. "Follow us." The Time Force team summoned their cycles, and Carter and the others climbed into the Rescue Rover and followed them. As Ryan climbed in, he noticed that Eric Meyers had disappeared. _Nice guy_ , he thought, hopping into the back beside Kelsey. It was interesting, but he saw a lot of himself in Eric. Eric was the outsider on the Time Force team-he wasn't quite 'in' with the group. It reminded Ryan a lot of when he'd been working with Lightspeed. _He'll come around,_ he thought as Carter gunned the Rover. _He needs them, even if he won't admit it._ And with that thought, he slung an arm around Kelsey and settled in to enjoy the ride.


	21. The Aftermath

"Check it out!" Wes swept his hand in a grand gesture as the eleven rangers stepped into the belfry of the clock tower. Carter grinned, having seen it already, but enjoying the reactions of his teammates.

"Dana, don't tell your dad," Kelsey whispered to her best friend, "but this place is cooler than the Aquabase!" She looked up at the huge bell and smiled. "Does that thing still work?"

Katie clapped her fellow ranger on the back, pleased her new friend liked their new home. "Once," Katie told her, with a glare at Wes.

Wes shrugged. "Hey, _someone_ had to ring it once."

"Yeah, but not at five AM," Lucas groaned at the memory.

"Up there's the bell, see?" Trip pointed it out excitedly to Joel. The Sky Cowboy looked up at the bell, and around at the rest of the tower. "I thought you guys were from the future?" he asked after a moment.

"We are," Lucas replied, confused.

Joel glanced around. "This place is kinda…old."

Kelsey smacked him in the shoulder. "Shut up, Joel."

"Hey!" A mechanical voice protested. Joel ducked as a football-sized blue owl flew past his face, looking mildly annoyed. The flying owl rocketed past Carter, narrowly missing his ear. Circuit buzzed past Chad and Jen before settling on a perch. "Some old things are cool," the owl informed him hotly. "Anyway, _we_ like it!"

"Yeah Joel," Ryan teased. He poked his head out the windows on either side of the clock. Carter stuck his head out the other one, looked over at him, and gave him a thumbs up. Ryan laughed.

"What's that?" Chad asked, pointing to Circuit.

" _That_ ," Trip said, sounding mildly offended, "is Circuit."

Chad grinned as he walked over to the owl. "Blue looks good on you," he told the owl, and Circuit laughed a happy mechanical laugh. Trip grinned and gave Chad a one-armed hug.

"Well, anyway," Jen said, shifting awkwardly on her feet. "We just wanted to tell you guys thank you, for all you did."

"You guys are doing a great job," Dana assured her fellow pink ranger. Her brother nodded in agreement.

The Time Force rangers exchanged glances, before Jen opened a big old-fashioned trunk in the corner. Chad looked at Carter. The Lightspeed leader shrugged. He didn't know what was happening now.

"We have something for you guys to remember us by," Wes told them, as the rangers came back over to them with something in their hands. Jen handed Dana a white jacket, made of material Dana had never seen or felt before. Embossed on the left pocket was the Time Force logo.

Wes, Lucas, Katie and Trip handed Time Force jackets to Carter, Chad, Kelsey and Joel. Then, Jen gave one to Ryan as well. "The Time Ship comes with a spare in the emergency supplies," she said by way of explanation when Wes looked at her, confused as to where the jacket had come from.

"In case you end up in a time that doesn't have clothes?" Ryan asked. He grinned to show Jen he was teasing.

"How come I never got that one?" Wes asked Jen.

She shrugged. "It wouldn't look good on you," she replied seriously. "You look better in red."

Kelsey and Chad looked at their new jackets, then each other, then at Carter. Carter nodded, a quick unspoken conversation with his blue and yellow rangers. But Jen caught it. "What?" she asked them. "You don't like them?"

"No!" Kelsey said honestly. "They're great."

"It's just," Chad added quickly, "we have something for you guys too." He shrugged out of his Lightspeed jacket and handed it to Lucas. Kelsey, Carter, Dana and Joel did the same, handing their jackets over to Katie, Wes, Jen and Trip.

"Wow," Katie breathed happily. "Are you sure?" she asked Kelsey. Kelsey nodded with a wide smile.

Ryan shrugged out of his jacket. "I was gonna give mine to Eric," he told Wes.

"It'd be like pulling teeth to get Eric here," Wes said. "He's not a fan of our headquarters," he explained. "But I'll make sure he gets it," he told Ryan. Ryan nodded appreciatively.

Carter clapped his hands and rubbed them together. "Well, you've got the jackets," he said. "Now do the dance!"

The five Time Force rangers laughed. "And we'll do it better!" Lucas said.

"Riiight," Joel drawled. The Time Force rangers stepped forward. Wes glanced at his team. "You guys ready?" he asked them. His team nodded. Wes glanced back at Carter, then, with a laugh, threw his arms out. All five rangers called out, "Lightspeed Rescue!" and did a passable imitation of the Lightspeed morphing sequence.

The Lightspeed rangers laughed. Wes turned and lowered himself into a karate stance in his new jacket, then turned slowly to Carter. "You know we can't keep these," he told Carter. "These are just as much a part of you as the morphers are." He shrugged out of the jacket and handed it back. "We don't need these to remember what you guys did here." He held out a hand and Carter shook it hard. "Thank you," Wes said seriously.

"Anytime," Carter said, meaning it. He handed the white Time Force jacket back to Wes. "Just in case," he said with a nod.

Wes smiled. "Hey, how 'bout we give you guys an escort back to Mariner Bay?" he asked.

Carter glanced at his team, who were all nodding. "It'd be a honor," he said. "But first, I'm pretty sure I heard you say something about pizza." He looked at Joel. "We'll take a slice to go. I have a guy who has a ship to catch."

* * *

"I'm sorry, ma'am, we really can't wait much longer," the cruise ship check-in employee was telling Angela. "We really need to get underway."

Angela had pulled the "My husband is the Green Lightspeed Ranger' card, and bought them an extra hour. Ship check-in was normally three hours, and they had arrived at the pier extremely early because Angela _hated_ being late or rushed into anything she didn't have to be. She'd been hoping they could save their cruise by waiting until the last possible minute to board. Now, it was approaching 4:00 p.m. and Joel still hadn't returned from Silver Hills.

"I know," she said finally with a disappointed sigh. She shook his hand. "Thank you, I know you tried."

"I wish we could've accommodated him," the guy was telling her. "A guy who saves the world is worth waiting for, in my book. If I didn't have 2,998 other folks waiting…."

"I know," Angela said. She shouldered her purse, and took their passports back. "We'll cruise with you some other time."

He nodded. "I hope so," he said. "Good luck, Mrs. Rawlings."

Angela heard screeching tires, and looked outside the cruise terminal. A yellow humvee had rolled to a stop, and she saw Joel toss something to Chad, and then come running into the terminal. "Am I late?" he demanded breathlessly. He pointed. "The ship's still here. Can we board?"

Angela looked back hopefully at the cruise ship employee, who was speaking with a young woman in uniform. When they both smiled, she handed Joel his passport. "Welcome aboard," they said, and sped them through the line and up onto the ship.

The Lightspeed team waited a few moments on the road, watching. Pretty soon, Chad heard a loud whistle, and pointed. "They made it!" he cried, pointing to one of the upper decks. Behind the blue glass railing of a balcony cabin, Joel and Angela waved to them, Joel waving his hat wildly.

"Yes!" Kelsey cheered. "Have fun!" she yelled at them, waving back.

Carter looked at Dana in the passenger seat and grinned. "Just in time," he said. She nodded, and Carter could see she was happy for Joel, but still upset with him. He had a feeling he knew why. They said their goodbyes to Chad, dropping him back by the beach to pick up his stuff he'd asked his replacement to watch, and then dropping Kelsey and Ryan by Kelsey's place.

"We need to talk," Carter told her, and Dana didn't say anything, just nodded. The two of them drove in silence to a small park, and Carter parked the Rescue Rover. "You wanna sit here and talk, or go for a walk?" he asked her.

Her response was to get out of the Rover and slam the door. "Walk it is," Carter translated dryly, and unbuckled his seat belt. He got out and locked the Rover, then followed Dana, who was walking through the grass. "Let me see if I can figure it out," he said as he caught up to her. "You're upset because we didn't bring you in on Vypra sooner."

She didn't say anything. "Dana, you _have_ to talk to me, or I don't know how to fix whatever it is that's wrong." Carter reached out and grabbed her arm, spinning her back to face him.

"I'm _upset_ ," she growled at him, "because I _told_ you _not_ to get into _any_ trouble before our wedding!" She shrugged out of his grip. "Do you realize you could have _died_ \- again?" she demanded of him. "If we hadn't gotten there when we did-"

"But you did," Carter argued. "Dana, we couldn't have just left Time Force to Vypra and Quarganon, you know that."

"I don't care about Time Force," Dana told him. "I'm not marrying _Wes!_ " She leaned against a tree, completely exhausted. The stress of the day had taken its toll. She was thankful she at least didn't have to go back to work. "If something had happened to you, Carter…." She felt him put a hand on her shoulder. "I can't stand the thought that something could've happened to you. I didn't want to wear this stupid _thing_ again," she said, ripping the morpher off her wrist and shaking it in front of his eyes. "All I wanted was a _normal_ , happy life with you." She glanced back and up at him. "Is this how it's going to be?" she asked him, her voice distraught. "A new threat attacking Earth every year and us having to go chasing monsters?"

Carter wrapped his arms around her, lacing his fingers together over her stomach. "No," he told her, resting his chin on her head. "I promise. This was a once in a lifetime recurrence." He closed his eyes. "God, Dana, I was so scared. If you guys hadn't shown up when you did…"

"I would've been widowed before we even walked down the aisle," she told him, still angry.

Carter opened his mouth to say something.

"Carter…" She turned around to look at him. "I don't want to get married in the spring."

The breath went out of him, and he grabbed the tree to steady himself.


	22. Changing Course

"What?" he sputtered. "Dana-"

"Listen to me," Dana told him, reaching up and silencing him with a finger to his lips. "I don't want to get married in the spring. I want to get married _sooner_. I want to do like Angela did, and get married now." She looked up at him. "I love you, and I want to be with you sooner rather than later."

Carter choked out a laugh, the color returning to his face. "I can agree to those terms," he told her. "I love you." He kissed her long and hard. "You know we'll have to wait until Joel and Angela get back. I can't get married without him."

"Fine. But the _second_ they get back…" Dana wrapped her arms around her future husband.

"You, me and the Wedding March," Carter promised.

There was a pause, and then Dana's hands flew to her mouth. "Oh God!" she said, realization dawning. "I have a wedding to plan. We need to go to Kelsey's. Right now." She pushed him toward the Rescue Rover. "Now. Nownownow."

Carter glanced over his shoulder as she shoved him forward. "Are we in a hurry or something?" he asked her, planting his feet so that she ran into him.

She hit him in the shoulder. " _Carter_."

He laughed. "Okay, okay." He grabbed her in his arms, bridal style, and jogged over to the Rescue Rover.

* * *

"You're okay?" Ryan asked Kelsey, rubbing her shoulders. "You had kind of a hard hit." The two of them were sitting in the yard outside her mom's home. Ryan sat on the steps, Kelsey in the grass below him.

"I'm okay," Kelsey replied, savoring the massage. "The suit took most of it." She inclined her head forward, closing her eyes. "How about you? That Eric guy's an interesting dude."

Ryan grinned. "Yeah, you know, I think a lot of that's a front," he said. "Until Ransik's back in the future or whatever, or however that works, Time Force is gonna need him. And Eric's gonna realize he can't do it all on his own." He switched to running his fingers down her spine. "They make a good team together, or they will."

"It felt weird putting the morpher back on," Kelsey said, straightening up and resting against Ryan's legs. "I liked it, but that the same time…"

"Yeah, I know," Ryan replied. "I'm more than ready to give it back."

"How about we go drop it off with your dad and then go for a walk?" Kelsey suggested.

She felt Ryan's fingers stop moving. "What?" she asked, turning to look at him. "What's wrong?"

"It's him," Ryan said, the frustration coming out. "Dad wants me to run the Aquabase. I think it's 'cause Carter hasn't given him an answer on the security job yet, and he's worried that if something happens his life's work is going to go down the tubes."

"But you don't want to?" Kelsey guessed.

"No," Ryan said. "I still have no idea what I want to do with my life. I have no job skills…" He paused. "Well, okay, I can tear tickets and bang a hammer against a gear box." He sighed. "Nothing marketable. I don't have a diploma or a GED. And as much as I wish I could, I can't be the Titanium Ranger for a living." He stared idly across the street. "And I'm starting to feel-" He stopped talking. _Feelings are weakness_ , Diabolico's voice hissed in his mind.

"Feel what?" Kelsey asked him. She got off the ground and joined him on the steps.

"Jealous," Ryan admitted. "Dana's got it all together. She's studying for her doctorate, she and Carter are getting married…and I'm working at an amusement park and living with my dad."

"Your sister's living with your dad too," Kelsey offered teasingly, and Ryan smiled, which was what she'd wanted.

"Yeah, but she'll be moving out."

Kelsey put an arm around his waist. "So tell me, Ryan Mitchell. What _do_ you want?"

He rested his chin on her head. "I think…I think I want to at _least_ get my GED to start. Since I'm living at home, I'm saving the money I make at the park. I think I want my own place."

"Good, achievable goals," Kelsey told him. "I'm dating a nice, sensible guy."

"Nice and sensible apparently runs in the family," Ryan said. "Dad's nice and sensible and structured. Dana's sensible."

The two of them saw a red truck pull up to the curb. Dana practically fell out of it and came scrambling up the grass. "Kelsey! Ryan!"

Ryan stood up so fast the world spun. "Dana? What's wrong?" he demanded. He looked out at the truck. "What'd _he_ do?" he growled, pointing at Carter.

"Whoa!" Carter yelled as he came around the truck. " _I_ didn't do _anything_!"

"Everybody shut up!" Kelsey commanded. She looked at Dana. "What's the matter?"

"I'm getting married," Dana told her, near hyperventilating.

Kelsey looked at Carter, confused. "Yeeah….I know. Why is this such a big deal?"

"Because we're not waiting to get married," Carter replied. "The way it sounds, she wants to do this like, tomorrow."

"Oh. _Oh_." Kelsey grabbed Dana by the shoulders and gave her a shake. "Hey. Breathe." Her best friend took several deep breaths. "There ya go." She shook her head. "Come on. Let's go inside." She looked at the boys. "Go away."

"Gladly," Carter said, relieved, at the same time Ryan said, "No problem."

"Oh, hey!" Carter yelled. Kelsey looked back. Carter shook his wrist. "Morphers. We'll take them back." Kelsey took Dana's off her hand and tossed them both overhand at Carter, nearly pegging him in the face. Then, Kelsey led a still-shaking Dana into the house and the boys went down to the Rover. Carter started it, listened to it roar to life. "You interested in going truck shopping?" Carter asked him. "My truck will never make it if we use it for our honeymoon."

"Sure," Ryan said. "If you'll go looking for apartments with me."

Carter glanced sideways at him. "Um…does Kelsey know about this?"

Ryan laughed. "She's gonna have her hands full." He gave Carter a synopsis of the conversation he'd just had with Kelsey about the first steps into his independent life.

"You know, there's an apartment open in my building," Carter said instantly. "Or would that freak you out?"

"You mean the thought of you and my sister down the hall…" Ryan shuddered. "I can deal. Any idea on the rent?" Ryan replied. "I've got a little saved up for a deposit."

Carter told him what he made for rent and Ryan thought about it. "Tight, but then again I don't exactly have a bunch of other expenses right now," he mused. "Can I get your landlord's number?"

"Sure," Carter said. "Also, pull the 'I'm the Titanium Ranger' card," he added. "Seriously. That's how I got the break on my rent when I wasn't living there."

Ryan raised an eyebrow. "Carter Grayson, pullin' the 'hero of the city' card?"

Carter shrugged. "Hey, I wasn't exactly getting _paid_ while working at Lightspeed…"

"Right," Ryan replied. "Sounds good." He looked at his future brother in law. "Know where I can go to study for a GED?"

Carter nodded as they pulled into the Lightspeed Rescue parking lot. "Yeah, they sell study guides for it like they do for the SAT or whatever. I can drop ya by the bookstore if you want sometime." He shut the Rover off. Ryan sighed. "Time to go tell my dad about my new direction."

"Your dad'll understand," Carter told Ryan.

"You should take that job," Ryan replied. Then he frowned. "Sorry."

"No, it's OK. I didn't realize he was putting pressure on you too," Carter said. "Truth is, I'm really considering it. I like the idea of at least one of us, Dana or I, being on a regular schedule. If we'd ever have a kid, it'd be nice to actually get to see it."

Ryan stripped off his morpher. "It's really no pressure to you, Carter, I promise. I'm just venting."

"I know," Carter said. "It's all good. You want me to come in and eavesdrop on the conversation with your dad?"

Ryan shook his head. "Tempting, but no. I'm good. I got this." He took a breath, then held his hands out for their morphers. Carter handed them over. "Put that somewhere where we won't need them again," he told Ryan.

"No problem," Ryan promised. He waved at Carter and headed into the Lightspeed building. "Hi," he told the receptionist. "Is my dad here?"

She nodded. "He's been waiting for you actually. He hasn't gone home since you left."

Ryan felt a pang of guilt in his stomach as she let him back into the secure area. He turned the first left and saw his father sitting in his office. The schematic for the underwater portion of the base was spread out, the corners held down by a thermos of coffee, a paperweight in the shape of a space shuttle, and the metal briefcase that held the Lightspeed morphers.

"Dad?" Ryan asked.

Bill Mitchell looked up from his desk and saw his son. Relief flooded his face, and he came around the desk and wrapped his son in his arms. "Thank God," Bill said. He took a step back and looked at his son. "Is everyone-"

"Fine. Joel even made his honeymoon," Ryan reported. "We're okay, Dad. I promise. And I'm sorry, someone should've called you to let you know we were back and okay."

"It's okay," Bill replied. "I'm just glad you are all okay." He took a breath. "What's the status of Vypra and Quarganon?"

"Neither one of them will be climbing out of Hell again anytime soon," Ryan said assuredly. "We took care of it."

"Good."Bill returned to his desk and gestured for Ryan to take a seat. Ryan sat down in the black overstuffed chair. "And how was it working with Time Force?"

"They're good at what they do," Ryan said. "They've got the situation in Silver Hills under control." He debated whether or not to tell his dad that 80% of the team was from the future, and decided not to. "Uh, speaking of…." He set the morphers down on the desk.

"Thank you," Bill said. He picked up the case and popped it open. "How did it feel?" he asked. "Picking up the morpher again?" Ryan watched him set the morphers back in the case and close it.

"The Power never gets old," Ryan said. "I'll be sore tomorrow though." His father laughed. Then, Bill's face turned serious. "Listen, Ryan….I wanted to tell you-"

"Dad-"

His father held up a hand and Ryan stopped. "I've been putting a lot of pressure on you lately. That's all my fault and I take full responsibility for all the fights and all the arguments in the past months."

"Dad-" Ryan tried again, but his father pressed on.

"I imagine this is how Dana felt when I first started working on the Lightspeed project. I was never home. We'd just lost your mother…and then you…" He waved a hand around. "All this was because of you, you know."

"Me?" Ryan angled his head. "I don't-"

"When Diabolico took you away from us," Bill told his son, "I made it my life mission to get you back. I dug into every lore, every culture that had any demons and researched. I built the Aquabase because the demons couldn't touch water. I didn't want them finding out what we were doing….which was trying to find them…trying to find _you_."

Bill stared out the window as the sun was sinking on the horizon. "I left Dana with a neighbor. I hardly ever saw her. Mrs. Novak is largely responsible for the woman Dana has become-making sure she did her homework, teaching her the life skills _I_ should have been, but didn't have time to do." He looked at Ryan, and Ryan was shocked to see tears in the corner of his father's eyes. "I lost _both_ my children," he said. "And I just now got them back. I suppose in a way, you taking this job here at Lightspeed is largely so I can keep an eye on you and not let you out of my sight again."

Ryan joined his father behind the desk and gave his father a hug. "I'm not going anywhere, Dad," he promised. "I want to get my GED. I want to stay here in Mariner Bay, at least for the foreseeable future. I want to date Kelsey and go to Dana's wedding and be a family." He looked at his dad. "But I don't want to work here. I like the amusement park fine, I like being outside, and I like being my own boss."

Bill nodded. "Okay." He returned his son's hug. "Okay, Ryan. I understand." He took a step back and looked at his son. "I love you, you know that?"

Ryan nodded. "I do." And he did.


	23. Feeling It

"I don't know. I'm not really feeling it."

Dana lifted her hair off her neck and turned to stand profiled on the stand. She glanced over her shoulder and down at her back, then turned to Kelsey and Angela. "I think it makes my butt look big," she said, biting her lip with a frown.

Angela snorted. "Honey, you _so_ don't have that problem," she told Dana. She appraised the dress thoughtfully. "I agree though, it doesn't really seem like you."

"I agree," Kelsey put in. "Next!" She clapped her hands.

Dana laughed and let her hair fall down as the attendant at the bridal shop unpinned the dress and helped her back into the dressing room.

Kelsey turned to Angela. "I'm gonna have to look into self-tanning," she said, glancing at her friend. "I think Hawaii sun is better than California sun. I don't want to look transparent at the wedding."

Angela grinned. "Maybe you should try not wearing shorts and tanktops when you're out there spending six hours on the street course," she told Kelsey. "I won't lie- wearing a bikini for fourteen days straight on the cruise really helped!"

Kelsey laughed. "Yeah, well...skating in a bikini bottom would cause all sorts of problems."

"Yeah, but I bet Ryan would love it," Angela winked.

Kelsey turned a bright shade of red. She quickly changed the subject. "I want to go to Hawaii someday. I've never been anywhere besides California."

"I highly recommend it-" Angela stopped as Dana stepped out of the dressing room. She took one look in the mirror, then at her friends.

"No way," Dana grimaced. "This one looks like couch upholstery." She ducked back into the dressing room.

"Eighth time's the charm!" Kelsey called out, and heard Dana laughing as she got undressed. Kelsey pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin. "I hope Ryan proposes some day," she said wistfully. "I'm a little jealous of you guys."

"Being married is awesome," Angela proclaimed. "But there's nothing wrong with wanting to stay in the dating game for a little while longer either." She put a hand on Kelsey's knee and shook her gently. "Enjoy it."

Kelsey nodded, and then let her feet slowly drop to the floor as Dana came out again. "Yes," she said immediately, leaning forward eagerly. "Definitely yes!"

"I haven't even gotten to see the whole thi-oh." Dana stepped up onto the little platform and the attendant fluffed the dress so it flared at her feet. "Okay," she breathed, letting her hands fall to her sides.

"Wow," Angela said. "I'd say that's the winner there," she told her, and Dana nodded slowly as she took it in.

The dress was ivory, and looked like it belonged in the 1920s. It was halter style with a drop waist and a short train. The bodice was covered by a thin layer of lace that slid over her shoulders, and the back was a lace eyelet.

"Oh God," Dana breathed. "Oh…..oh wow." It was funny; it was absolutely _not_ what she would've picked out in a million years. And yet somehow…it just seemed _perfect_. She imagined Carter standing next to her in a pinstripe gray suit with a red tie, and Angela and Kelsey next to her in tea length red dresses…

Angela stepped up next to her and piled her hair on her head. "I'm seeing a messy updo," she said, gesturing for Kelsey to join them. "With a flower…right here." She pointed to a spot right above Dana's right ear.

"How about a longer string of pearls for jewelry?" Kelsey said, grabbing her friend by the shoulders, being careful not to touch the dress. "And red roses. Classic, like the dress."

"Hey, who's getting married here?" Dana teased them. But she looked in the mirror and sighed. "I love it. All of it."

"Good," a new voice said quietly. Dana glanced in the mirror and saw Lisa Grayson standing behind her, the telltale glint of a gold American Express card in her hand. Lisa looked at the attendant. "We'll take it." She looked at Dana. "Sorry I'm late. Got held up in traffic."

"Hi, Mrs. Grayson," Kelsey chirped.

"Lisa, please," Lisa begged them. "Mrs. Grayson is Carter's grandmother and I'm _not_ that old." She smiled. "You two have wonderful taste," she told Kelsey and Angela. She studied Dana carefully. "And I don't even think it has to be taken in too terribly much. It's almost a perfect fit."

"Lisa, I can't-" Dana protested. "You can't-"

"I can," Lisa cut in with a mock stern glare. "I don't have a little girl to spoil that's related by blood. So, lucky you, you're the next best thing." She smiled. "Please, Dana. Let me do this."

Dana wanted to protest. But she couldn't find a good reason or excuse. "Okay," she breathed. She looked at Kelsey. "Maybe a pair of dangling pearl and diamond earrings?"

" _Now_ you're talking," Kelsey declared with a grin.

* * *

"I dunno. I'm not really feeling it." Carter ran a finger down the specs taped to the inside of the window of the Chevy Silverado. He looked at Ryan and Chad.

Chad raised an eyebrow. "Carter, you're worse than a girl with shoes." He looked at Ryan. "And I just went shoe shopping with Rachel, so I know what I'm talking about-she spent 25 minutes looking at the same pair of heels in two different colors." He turned to Carter. "Seriously, man, what's wrong with this one?"

Carter cocked his head to the side as he studied the sheet of paper. "I don't think the backseat is big enough," he said finally.

"For what?" Ryan coughed. Chad laughed.

Carter stayed facing the truck as he answered, "Oh, I dunno. Like a car seat or something," he said absently.

This time, Chad was the one who coughed to hide a laugh, and Ryan's jaw dropped. "I don't really see a truck being a 'family vehicle,' Carter," he said.

Carter leaned against the blue truck. "I can't help it. The wedding's got me thinking long-term," he said. "And I'm _definitely_ not a minivan guy." He glanced at the zeroes behind the price tag clipped to the rearview. "It doesn't matter anyway," he said. "This one's about ten grand out of my price range. I think I'm gonna need to go older." He closed his eyes and slumped against the box, shoving his hands in his jeans pockets.

Chad wandered down the row of trucks and stopped in front of a white truck with a chrome stripe down the passenger side by the step sides. It was an extended cab. He squinted at the price tag hanging off the rearview mirror. "Hey, Carter?" he called. Carter and Ryan's heads appeared over the top of the blue truck. "Come take a look at this one," he said, waving them over.

Carter looked at Ryan and shrugged. "Why not," Carter said to him. "Last one at this dealership. I might have to go into LA or into Angel Grove-somewhere the competition's a little stiffer-if this doesn't…." He trailed off as he looked at the price tag, then at the truck. He drifted around to the driver's side to read the mileage and warranty specs. Ryan and Chad rested an elbow on the hood of the truck. Chad grinned.

"Yes!" Carter said. He leaned back and flashed them a thumbs up. "Depending on what they'll give me for trade in…this one might not break my bank." He smiled. "I think we have a winner, boys."

* * *

"The building was built in 1984," Joe Rockaway was saying, but Ryan wasn't really listening to Carter's landlord. He stood in the center of the empty apartment, taking in the place. His father was leaning in the doorway to the hall.

"What's security like around here?" Bill asked Joe.

"Well," Joe said, "it's not a secure building. But the apartment has a deadbolt, and the parking lot's well lit. Just off a main drag in a good neighborhood, so it keeps the riffraff to a minimum. I think the last police call was a domestic disturbance," he added, "but that was the next building over, and it was an eighty year old woman fighting with her husband over the remote for 'Wheel of Fortune,' I think." He smiled. "Anyway, Carter gave you a good reference, so the place is pretty much yours if you can afford it." He smiled. "What do you think?"

Ryan looked around. It had the same floor plan as Carter's, but opposite because he was on the other side of the building. He could see a few things that needed updating, but all in all, it was a seriously good offer. He looked at his dad. Bill raised an eyebrow, and Ryan grinned. "What do you need for a security deposit?" he asked Joe.

"Let me go get the paperwork for you, Mr. Mitchell, and I'll be back." Joe disappeared from the apartment, and the Mitchell men heard his feet clomp down the back stairs. Bill looked at his son. "You're sure this is what you want? You're more than welcome to keep staying at the house."

"Thanks, Dad," Ryan said, meaning it. "But I think it's time I tried being my own man for a while. And I can afford this on my paycheck. And, I'm really diggin' the little balcony thing. Good place to get some studying done." He waved a hand around. "Think he might let me paint?"

"If he says yes, don't paint it silver or black," Bill told him. "Branch out."

"Actually, I was thinking maybe green," Ryan replied. He grinned. "With orange trim."

"Oh God, please tell me you're joking," Bill grimaced. "Has your sister taught you nothing about the color wheel?"

"Not really," Ryan replied with a smirk. "She's still trying to find stuff in her closet that isn't pink."

Bill's cell vibrated on his belt. He popped it open, and read the text. "Dana found a dress," he reported. He put the phone back in his pocket. "It's really happening isn't it?" he said, more to himself than Ryan. "My kids are growing up."

Ryan didn't offer a response, only left his dad alone with his thoughts as he disappeared down the stairs to follow Joe to his office. His dad needed a minute. It was a turning point again for Bill Mitchell. Except this time, he was losing both of his children, and to something far more dangerous than a demon...real life. _It's something all parents fear and try to shelter their kids from_ , he thought. _And yet we want them to go out and make their own mistakes because they can't learn otherwise_.

 _You want them to leave the next...and then they do. And it's amazing how quickly you want them back_.

He heard voices coming up the back stairs, and he blinked a couple times to clear his head. "So, when do we start moving you in?" he asked Ryan as his son came back into the apartment.

"The old tenant has their lease through the end of the month," Joe replied. "Ryan can have it on the first."

Bill counted quickly. "That's the same weekend that your sister is getting married," he told Ryan. _Amazing, how everything happens at once._


	24. Professional Dana vs Fun Dana

Carter's apartment doorbell rang on a rainy afternoon a split second after he'd closed his eyes for a nap on a rare day off. Muttering a string of no-so-nice sentiment, he was still pulling his shirt on over his head as he answered his door.

"Uh oh. You were sleeping," Dana grimaced as she stood out in the hall, holding a wet edition of the Mariner Bay Forum in her hands.

"I was thinking about it," he admitted. "What's up?"

She thrust the paper at him. "I think I found us a house," she beamed. She brushed past him and stepped into the apartment kicking off her tennis shoes. Carter shut the door behind her and turned around to see her already kneeling on the couch, facing him over the back of it. She pointed. "I circled it," she said excitedly.

Carter took a look at the listing. "Two bedroom, one and a half bath. Fenced in backyard." He looked at her. "Wow… the appliances come with."

She nodded. "Yup." She slid over so Carter could come sit by her on the couch, and when he sat down, she propped her legs in his lap. "You wanna go look at it?"

Carter pointed out the window. "Today? Really?"

Dana bit her bottom lip. "It's not like there's anything else happening…" she pointed out. "Besides, I really want you to see it. "

"You've seen it already?" Carter asked, handing the paper back to her.

"We-ell…I might've driven by it a couple times." At Carter's raised eyebrow she amended, "Okay, a few more than a couple."

"You've already got us moved in, haven't you?" Carter asked her, and she grinned. "I knew it."

"Please?" she asked him. "Besides, I haven't gotten to ride in your new truck yet." She nudged him in the chest with her toe. "I wanna see it."

He laughed, shoving her legs off his lap and onto the carpet. "Okay, okay," he acquiesced. "Let me change. I wasn't expecting I'd be going out today."

"Yay!" Dana clapped her hands together. "I'll call the realtor!"

* * *

221 Pasadena Avenue was a small lot on a quiet side street not far from the Marine Park where Chad had worked as a trainer. The rain had let up just a little bit. Carter pulled the truck into the driveway. "Wow," he said. He looked at the house staring back at him.

The house was a small single-level home, perfect for a couple just starting out. It was painted gray with white trim. A big picture window faced out to the street. The door was to the right of the window, and then there were two smaller windows on the other side of that. "Living room," Dana pointed to the big window. "Bathroom, bedroom. And there's another bedroom on the other side, and the kitchen is in the back." She unbuckled her seatbelt. "But, you'll see that when we go inside, 'cause that-" she pointed to a black Lincoln SUV- "is Cara Vega, the realtor."

She hopped out of the car, like an excited kid going to Grandma's house, and Carter was still shaking his head as he climbed out of the driver's side and followed her up the driveway. "Hi, Dana," Cara was saying to his fiancée. "And this must be Carter." She shook Carter's hand firmly. "Nice to finally meet you."

"'Finally'?" Carter repeated. He looked at Dana. "Seriously, how long have you been looking at this place?" She only smiled and grabbed his hand.

"Well, let's take a look around, shall we?" Cara asked. "The property was built in the early 80s, but the last owners have done some really neat renovations with the place." She led them around to the back, and Carter whistled. "Wow." The backyard was fenced in and there was a small patio. The patio was made from stone squares, and there were tiki torches in the corners of it. "They were moving to Alaska," Cara said. "He was stationed at the military base here but got transferred. So they were limited in what they could take. That's why the appliances-and the torches there-are still here." Carter was listening, but he was looking at the two big birch trees in the corners of the yard and picturing the shade when it was sunny out.

"Let's take a look inside," Cara offered, unlocking the back door. She slid the sliding glass door back so Carter and Dana could step inside. "This is the kitchen," she said, closing the door behind her just as the skies opened up again. "Whew," she said with a smile, "good timing." She pointed at the appliances. "The appliances are pretty new," she continued. "And the cabinets and counters are all brand new. When they bought the house it was more of a fixer-upper."

"How long ago was it that they bought it?" Carter asked her.

"About four years ago," Cara replied. "Before that," she grimaced, "it was off-campus housing for Mariner Bay U."

"Oh," Carter winced. "Yeah, I remember those days." Dana glanced sideways at him. "I wasn't one of them," he defended himself. "I just heard stories."

"Sure," Dana drawled.

"Anyway," Cara continued, "they bought it and really revamped it. He never got the basement completely finished, but the upstairs is another story." She led them into the living room. "The carpet's all brand new, and they've repainted." She pointed. "The cable hookups are over there," she said, pointing to the space in front of the window where the wire was jutting from the wall. She pointed. "And then, down the hall there, are the two bedrooms. The big one in the back corner is the master bedroom, and the other is a little smaller." She waited in the living room while they went to go check out the bedrooms. Dana ducked her head into the bathroom. "Looks like everything's up to date in here," she said, poking her head back out.

"You said something about the basement?" Carter asked Cara, and she nodded, gesturing to the stairs by the front door. Carter went down the stairs and Cara followed.

"As you can see, it's only partially finished," Cara told him. "This is where the washer and dryer are, and I think he was working on another bedroom and a half bath."

"A project," Carter said thoughtfully. He looked at Cara. "Let's talk price," he said. "What are they selling this place for?"

Cara quoted him the price and Carter winced just a little. With his brand new truck payment, suddenly a mortgage and a house insurance payment had become too quick of a reality. However, he also knew that it was a pretty good deal. The city was still rebuilding after the demon attacks, and real estate price in other parts of the city were almost unreasonably high. "Cara, if it's okay with you, we'll need to go over our budget with a banker and check into our finances," Carter said, effectively ending the tour. "Have you had a lot of folks looking at this one?"

Cara nodded. "Yeah, you're my second look today," she replied. "I can't promise anything." She shrugged. "Standard spiel."

He nodded. "Okay. Thanks." He looked at Dana. "Ready to go?"

Dana nodded. "Yup." She gave Cara a grin. "Thanks, Cara."

Cara smiled. "No problem," she said. "Good to see you again."

Carter looked at Dana. "Seriously, _how_ many times?" he asked her.

She only smiled. Then, she checked her watch. "Oh. Crap. I have to go."

He raised an eyebrow. "Where?" He tossed her the keys to his truck and she jumped in the driver's side. He got into the passenger seat as she started the truck and put it in gear.

"Bachelorette party," Dana said. "It's tonight. I totally forgot. I got so excited about the house that I completely spaced I was supposed to meet Kelsey and Angela."

"Uh oh. Do I need to let the mayor know you girls are gonna be wild and crazy tonight?"

"Kelsey swore it wouldn't get _too_ 'Girls Gone Wild'," Dana told him, "but I make no promises."

That declaration did strange things to Carter's mind. He closed his eyes and counted to five. "Just be careful, and if any guys get too grabby when you're out…you call your brother, because I don't wanna know about _anything_ tonight," he told his fiancée.

"Excuse me?" Dana shot back teasingly. "It seems more like this is the lecture _I_ should be giving _you_. Especially with _Joel_ doing the planning."

"I made him swear no strippers," Carter replied.

"This is _Joel_ ," Dana countered, rolling her eyes.

Carter grimaced. "Yeah, you're right." Dana pulled up in front of Kelsey's house and threw the truck in park so hard Carter pitched forward. She leaned over and kissed him as she was undoing her seatbelt. "I'll see you tomorrow," she said. Then she paused. "Wait, no I won't. I work." She sighed. "I'll see you at some point."

"Well….you'll _have_ to see me next Saturday," Carter told her as he unbuckled his seatbelt so he could slide into the driver's seat.

She frowned, and he could see her doing the mental rundown of her calendar. "What-"

"Dana!" Carter smacked his forehead. "We're getting _married_ that day…"

Her hands flew to her mouth. "Oh God." Her face turned red. "Oh God, I can't believe-"

"Luckily Kelsey's really excited about the wedding," Carter drawled. "Someone's gotta make sure you get there, and since I can't see you in your dress…"

She gave him a peck on the cheek. "I'm so sorry," she apologized. "I won't forget. I just have so much going on….I won't forget. I swear."

"I sure as hell hope not," Carter said. "Too late to get out of the tux rental agreement."

Dana bit her lip and he grinned and kissed her forehead. "Okay, okay already. Go," he said, and she flew out of the truck and sprinted up Kelsey's sidewalk. He shook his head as he slid into the driver's seat and put the truck in drive. He loved her, even when she was completely scatterbrained.

* * *

"Hey! There she is!" Kelsey beat Dana to the door and swung it open, gesturing inside for Dana to come out of the rain. "Ready for your final night of freedom?" she asked Dana and her friend kicked off her shoes.

"I have a whole week," Dana pointed out. "I could just as easily get into trouble in the next seven days as I can tonight."

"That may be," Kelsey agreed, "but tonight we're _trying_ to find trouble, whereas otherwise you might just fall into it by accident."

Dana shook her head. "I hope not. Where's Angela? You look _hot_ by the way."

Kelsey was wearing a short pair of jean shorts and a silver crop top. She'd let her hair loose from the ponytail and it frizzed stylishly around her face. She was barefoot, but Dana knew she was recycling the sandals from Angela's wedding for tonight.

"Thanks, and she just pulled in," Kelsey said. "Come on, come on, go upstairs, get dried off and get back down here ASAP." She practically shoved Dana up the stairs and turned around to greet Angela who came rushing in. "I wish it'd quit raining!" she lamented. "Hi Kels. I saw Dana come in. So we're almost ready?"

"Yup!" Kelsey said. "She's just getting dried off. Did you bring her wardrobe?"

Angela grinned and held up a bag. "Yup! Is she upstairs?"

"My bathroom," Kelsey told her, and Angela tossed her heels aside as she ran up the stairs. "Dana!" she yelled through the door. "Here, I brought clothes for tonight." She glanced back and caught Kelsey sticking her had around the corner by the stairs and winked. "I'll leave them outside. Put them on and hurry up! The limo's gonna be here soon!"

"Hello to you too!" Dana yelled back, toweling off her hair. She opened the bathroom door a crack and reached for the bag. She rummaged around inside it and pulled out-

"Oh come _on_!" she protested. "Guys!"

"Shut up and wear it, Mitchell!" Kelsey yelled. "Come on, hurry up!"

Dana sighed. Her friends were bound and determined to embarrass her. "If _any_ of this ends up in Carter's hands I will kill you both!"

"Please!" she heard Angela scoff. "He'd be _thanking_ us and so will you! Now get moving!"

Dana sighed and shucked her clothes for the ones Angela had brought.

"She wore worse when she was a 'model'," Kelsey made air quotes around the word. "This shouldn't be taking as long as it is."

"I think it's the future doctor," Angela offered. "Professional Dana is winning against Fun Dana."

"I like 'Fun Dana' better," Kelsey quipped.

"'Fun Dana' is ready," Dana replied, and her two girl friends turned around. Angela whistled, a move she'd learned from Joel.

Dana wore a short, black, sequined dress that stopped mid thigh. The halter top swung up around her neck and she let her hair loose. Angela had provided a pair of black dangly earrings and a long knotted necklace that stopped just above Dana's belly button. Angela had also provided a pair of black knee-high boots from her own collection that resembled the pair Dana had worn with her Lightspeed uniform.

"Holy _cow_ , woman," Angela said. "You look _hot_."

"I _feel_ like a stripper," Dana complained.

"You _look_ freaking amazing," Kelsey countered. "Nice work, Angela."

"Thank you," Angela said with a mock bow. "And we almost forgot the most important part." She held out a pink sash that read 'Bride to Be' in black glitter letters. "So every man knows," she teased.

Dana sighed and slid it over her head. "I am so gonna get you back for this if you ever marry my brother, Kelsey," she threatened her best friend.

"You'll thank me later," Kelsey replied, keeping Dana's attention so that Angela could sneak a few photos of Dana with her phone's camera. She saved them and snapped her phone shut just as Dana turned. "All right, limo's here! Let's go! We gotta go get Rachel yet!"

Dana sighed as Kelsey practically shoved her out the door. She was starting to think her friends were as bad as Joel. She could only imagine what Carter's bachelor party would be like.


	25. Mr. & Mrs.

The sun sparkled off the bay. The April breeze was chilly, but everybody on the beach was dressed to adjust. A few clouds threatened out on the Pacific Ocean, but the wind was steadily blowing them south toward Angel Grove.

It was shaping up to be a perfect day.

Carter hopped out of his truck and left his shoes on the floorboards. He grabbed his suit jacket hanging in the back window and pulled it over the seat. It was warm enough for him that he didn't put it on right away, letting the pinstriped gray jacket drape over his arm so it didn't get wrinkled. He looked over and saw Chad and Rachel getting out of Chad's vehicle.

"Hey, guys," he greeted them. Chad was in the middle of pulling on his tie, but gave him a wave.

"Hi Carter," Rachel answered for both of them. "Wow, you clean up nice," she told him. She wore a plain yellow dress with white polka-dots, a bright and sunny addition to the crowd of gray and red.

"Thanks," he told her, hoping his voice didn't belie how nervous he was.

"Nervous?" Chad asked him, catching him as he straightened the knot on his red tie.

Carter frowned. "What gave it away?"

Chad grinned. "I just know," he shrugged. "Sorry."

"Great," Carter sighed. "Joel and Angela here?"

"On time for once," Chad replied, nodding down the beach to where Joel and Angela were talking with Bill Mitchell. Joel sported his trademark hat.

"He better not be wearing that hat during the ceremony," Carter said. "Have you seen my folks and my brother?"

"David's hiding in your dad's car," Chad said. "He's not a fan of his tux."

Carter laughed. "No surprise. Probably has a Gameboy glued to his fingers. I bet it comes out at least once during the ceremony."

"I won't take that bet," Ryan replied, coming up to the group. "Your dad told him if it came out while he was standing up there he'd lose a month's worth of allowance." Just like that, he was gone again, and Carter looked at Chad, confused.

"Kelsey just told him to go calm down his sister. If you think _you're_ nervous," Chad just smiled, "You should see the bride."

* * *

Kelsey finished buttoning the back of Dana's dress and stepped back. "Well, that's it," she proclaimed. "Only Carter's gonna be able to get you out of that again," she grinned.

Dana ran her hands nervously down the front of her dress, smoothing out wrinkles that weren't there. She took a deep breath.

"Wow," a voice said, and Kelsey whipped around.

"Hey! No guys-Oh," she trailed off when she saw who it was, and she smiled.

"What?" Dana asked, turning around slowly. Her eyes met her brother. "Oh. Ryan."

Ryan shifted uncomfortably in his jacket and tie. "Look at you," he said. "Dana, you look incredible."

She blushed. "Oh, you liar. I'm such a mess right now." She fiddled with her engagement ring and stared at the white floorboards of the lifeguard shack.

Ryan grabbed her hand, forcing her to look at him. "No, I'm serious. You look amazing."

"You're gonna make me cry," Dana told him. She playfully shoved him away. "Go on."

He smiled. "I'll see you up there," he told her.

Dana returned the smile. "I'll be the one in white," she deadpanned.

* * *

A black SUV rolled up to the beach and pulled into a parking spot. A young man stepped onto the concrete, dressed in a perfectly tailored gray suit with a red tie. He glanced around, looking for a familiar face, and then held up a hand in half a wave as Chad spotted him and came jogging up. "Hey, Wes!" Chad waved.

Wes Collins smiled. "Hi. It's um, Chad, right?"

Chad nodded. "Great to see you. Wes, this is my girlfriend, Rachel." The redhead offered a hand and Wes shook it. "Uh, Carter's over here," Chad told him, pointing to the white altar set up forty feet away down the beach. Carter was talking to his father and mother.

"Oh, I don't want to interrupt," Wes told Chad. But it didn't matter, because they _both_ were interrupted by a low rumble. Several wedding-goers gasped as the sky opened up. Purple energy crackled and a black hole ripped open the blue sky, revealing stars. "What the-" Wes began, instinctively dropping into a defensive stance. Chad only smiled and put a hand on his arm as he wrapped one around Rachel's waist.

"No worries," Chad told them. "I'm pretty sure that's just Leo."

Wes looked lost. "Who?"

A red object sailed through the gap. It looked like the size of a Time Force Flyer, but Wes only saw one person on it, a helmeted figure in a red and white uniform.

Ryan, Joel, and Carter joined the group as the red spacecraft landed. The Red Ranger, for Wes was now sure that's what the person had to be, jumped off the thing and came over to them. "Power Down," a male voice said, and the suit faded away in a burst of red light. Standing before them was a young man with white pants and a red button-down shirt. He had brown hair and blue eyes. He shook Carter's hand. "Hey, man, how's it going?"

"Way to make an entrance," Ryan deadpanned.

Leo Corbett grinned. "Wormhole. Only way to travel."

"Glad you could make it, man," Carter said. "Where's the rest of the Terra Venture crew?"

"It's actually some kind of holiday on Mirinoi today," Leo explained. "Maya roped the rest of the gang into helping with some festival."

"Oh," Carter said. "I didn't mean to drag you away from something."

Leo smiled. "No worries, Carter. The festival's a yearly thing. You only get married once. Besides," he added, nodding to the Jet Jammer, "I was looking for an excuse to take that out again."

"Boys and their toys," Rachel whispered to Chad, and Chad smiled. "You seem surprisingly cool with all this," he told her.

Rachel smiled. "I watch the news. I knew strange stuff was happening in Silver Hills. And Terra Venture used to transmit back to Earth periodically. I was younger, but I paid attention. I know you guys aren't the only spandex-wearing heroes out there."

"It's not spandex," all five men said automatically.

"Hey, guys," Bill Mitchell said, coming up to the group. He nodded to the two other red rangers. "Hello Leo, Wes. Good to see you."

"Sir," Wes nodded in return, while Leo shook his hand. Bill turned to the Lightspeed men. "Five minutes, gentlemen," he told Ryan, Chad, Joel and Carter. He looked at Leo and Wes. "There's a couple places up front if you're looking for a place to sit," he told them.

"Sounds good," Leo agreed. "We'll follow you." The two men followed Bill out into the rows of chairs.

Carter took a breath and let it out. "You good, man?" Ryan asked his soon to be brother-in-law.

"Yeah," Carter said. "Just a little warm," he assured him. "I better get up front."

"We'll see you in a few," Ryan replied. "Let's go grab the girls," he told Joel and Chad. "And David, wherever he went."

"I got that one," Chad said, and left Rachel with Joel to escort up to her seat so he could run out to the parking lot. He found David with his nose in Pokemon Pinball, his jacket tossed on the seat next to him. Chad tapped the window and the boy jerked. Chad held up his watch and tapped the face. David rolled his eyes and saved his game.

* * *

Bill tapped on the door of the lifeguard house and heard a "Come in- unless you're Carter!" from Kelsey. He poked his head inside the door and saw the girls finishing the last of their hair and makeup. Kelsey and Angela were in knee-length dresses in a dark red with red heels. Both had a red hibiscus integrated into their hairstyles, which were different-Kelsey's traditional ponytail and Angela's free-flowing around her shoulders.

And then he saw his daughter, and he was transported twenty-one years back into the past. Maureen stared back at him. He blinked, and his wife's smile was replaced by his daughter's. "Hi, Dad," Dana said softly.

"Hi," he responded, and be damned if his voice didn't catch. "You look…." He coughed and shook his head. "Sorry. You look beautiful," he said.

"Don't cry!" Kelsey admonished. "If you do, she will for sure, and I _just_ finished her mascara."

Dana choked out a laugh and exchanged a smile with her father. "Are they ready out there?"

"Waiting on you," he said. "Are you ladies ready?"

Angela and Kelsey nodded. "The guys are waiting for you," he told them. "And…we'll be along in a minute," he added. Both girls nodded and grabbed their flowers, each just holding a single long-stemmed red rose with white ribbon. When they left, Bill took a moment to look at his daughter.

Dana bit her lip. "What? What's wrong?" she asked, her hands flowing down her dress, trying to rub out the nonexistent wrinkles again.

"Everything couldn't be more right," Bill assured her. "You look lovely. Your mother would be so proud of you."

"She'd be such a wreck right now," Dana said. Her father stepped forward and caught her hands, holding them in place in front of her.

"Like mother, like daughter," Bill told her. "Come on, honey, your husband to be is waiting." He offered her his arm and she slipped it through his. She gathered the slight train in one hand, her other hand grasping her bouquet of roses, the stems wrapped firmly in red ribbon.

* * *

Carter rocked on his heels as the "Trumpet Voluntary" began to play. He looked down at his little brother, who was shifting in his spot. Carter reached out and put a steadying hand on his shoulder. David stood still and glanced up at his brother. Carter ruffled his hair and David responded by ducking out from under his hand.

Angela came up the white aisle runner, Joel on one arm and Chad on the other. Both men led her over to her spot on Carter's right, and Joel couldn't resist sneaking in a kiss for his wife before joining Chad and David on Carter's left. Carter shook his head and Joel just shrugged.

Ryan was next, escorting Kelsey up the aisle. He walked her over to stand beside Angela and then took his place. The music reached a crescendo, and Carter felt his knees go weak as Dana stepped into view with her father from behind the crowd.

Dana, for her part, made eye contact with Carter and never dropped his gaze as her father walked her slowly up the aisle in his Lightspeed uniform. As they reached the head of the aisle, the pastor stepped forward and asked, "Who gives this woman away?"

Bill looked up at Ryan standing in front of him, and then turned to his daughter. "Her brother and I do," he answered, and he put his daughter's hand in Carter's. Carter switched her hand to rest on his forearm and escorted her to stand in front of the pastor.

* * *

If you asked them later, both would say they were glad they had video, because the next twenty minutes were a total blur, although Carter _did_ remember when being told her could kiss the bride, dipping her so low she was almost leaning on her train. And he _definitely_ remembered the phrase, "I now present to you Mr. and Mrs. Carter Grayson."


	26. A Little Bug

_One year later…_

Time flew by in a blur.

The day after the wedding, Carter and Dana Grayson (and didn't Dana _love_ that) hopped the six-hour flight to Maui and spent five days on the stunning white sand beach of the Kaanapali area. The resort was right on the beach and the weather was a solid eighty degrees the entire time they were there. The hotel had a car rental desk, and Carter rented a convertible for a day's worth of driving on the gorgeous road to Hana. They played in waterfalls that looked like no human had been in their vicinity in years. They hiked trails up to gorgeous vistas overlooking the sprawling blue Pacific Ocean.

They walked the boardwalk to the little town of Lahaina and bought cheesy souvenirs for their friends. They had Hawaiian barbecue and took in a luau. The hotel had hula lessons and Dana tried unsuccessfully to learn the Hawaiian dance style.

All too soon, it was back to reality, and the Graysons left paradise. No sooner had they gotten back, Dana returned to work at the hospital, on her way to becoming a full-fledged doctor. Carter had a few more days off from the fire station, and so he recruited Ryan and Bill Mitchell and his father and brother to help move his things from his apartment to the house. Because Dana worked odd shifts at the hospital, she packed her things in shifts and she and the guys brought them over to the house bit by bit.

As the summer faded into fall, Chad announced that he was changing jobs. While he loved the ocean and loved being outdoors, martial arts was calling him back. He'd found a little storefront and planned to turn it into a martial arts dojo. Rachel had a business degree and she was going to manage the bookings and financials, and Chad was going to teach.

Joel and Angela had their first child, a son they named Anton. Kelsey proclaimed him the 'cutest kid ever' as he had Joel's dark skin but Angela's eyes. In true Joel fashion, Anton had a mini Sky Cowboy hat, and Angela had to make him swear on a daily basis that he wasn't going to take his son up in a plane until Anton was at least walking and talking. His Lightspeed honorary aunts and uncles spoiled him rotten.

Ryan came to an agreement with his father. He now split his time- half of the week, he worked at the amusement park as a general handyman and jack of all trades. The rest of the week, he worked at the Lightspeed Rescue Base as security and safety officer. Carter had given serious thought to the safety officer position but decided he didn't want to give up being a firefighter-bad days and nights and all. So Ryan had taken the job part time until Bill was able to hire a second man for the rest of the week. He and Ryan traded shifts and it worked out fine, as the other guard had a wife and two very active, very involved children.

Kelsey was training to climb Half Dome in Yosemite National Park. She kicked her morning training regimen up a notch and Ryan was still managing to keep up with her. She had moved into Carter's vacated apartment so she now lived in the same building as Ryan, and the two of them had a morning routine where they would go for a run and make breakfast together, and then head out for their respective days. In addition to her climbing regimen, Kelsey had also taken a job at the Mariner Bay branch of a small extreme sports supplier. Ryan joked that the employee discount was going to kill her finances.

Life was great.

* * *

Megan found Dana Mitchell in the bathroom on the Obstetrics floor. "Dr. Mitchell?" she asked.

A toilet flushed and Dana came out of the stall. Megan's eyes widened. Her face was flushed and she looked like she hadn't slept. "Dana…are you okay?"

Dana shook her head. "I don't know what's wrong with me. I haven't felt like this since I had the chicken pox when I was eight. I'm hoping I didn't pick up anything-I can't afford to get sick right now." She was so close to completing her programs she could practically taste it.

Megan frowned. "Do you want me to have Dr. Keating come see you?" she asked.

Dana washed her hands and splashed some water on her face. "If it gets any worse," she told the CNA. "I promise I'll make the appointment myself." She ran a hand through her bangs. "Did you need me for something?"

Megan nodded. "Dr. Keating is actually looking for you," she said. "Do you want me to tell her you'll come find her?"

"That'd be great," Dana told her, and Megan turned to go. She paused at the door.

"Hey, maybe you're pregnant," Megan said with a smile. "You know, the girls down at the nurse's station on three have a pool going as to when you and Carter are gonna have kids."

Dana's face went white. _Stupid_! She did a mental count in her head. I never even thought… She left the bathroom and went for the elevator. The pharmacy was still open for a few more minutes downstairs, and there was something she needed to get.

* * *

Carter got off shift at 3 AM but decided to catch a few winks at the station house before he came home. Dana would've gotten off around midnight or so and he didn't want to wake her up. He kicked his boots off at the foot of one of the bunks and collapsed, his 6'2" frame sagging the mattress. He didn't remember setting his alarm for 7 AM but after 4 hours of sleep, his phone sounded in his pocket and he dragged himself out of the bed. The next guy would want it. He changed out of his Ladder 4 t-shirt and into a plain black polo, grabbed his laundry, and drove the ten minutes back to their house. Dana's little car was in the driveway. He unlocked the front door and set his bag down inside the door.

"Good morning," a voice greeted him, and Carter jerked. He turned. Dana was sitting on the couch, still in her scrubs.

"Good morning, yourself," Carter replied, willing his heart rate to return to the regular beats per minute. "Are you okay? You don't look so hot…why aren't you in bed?"

"I feel lousy," Dana admitted. "Couldn't sleep."

"What?" Carter frowned. He kicked his shoes off and joined his wife in the living room. "What's the matter?"

Dana's response was to point at something on the coffee table. Carter studied the object. The only color on the plain white object was two blue lines. "I-I don't…" He looked at her. "Dana…."

She nodded. "I'm pregnant," she said. "I took the test and had them run lab work. They think I'm about four weeks along."

Carter's jaw dropped. "Oh, my God," he said. "We're-you're….I'm…." His face broke out into a huge grin. "I can't believe this!" He hugged Dana, and then pulled away so fast she thought he'd been shot. "Sorry, I didn't-"

Dana couldn't help it. She started laughing. His enthusiasm was catching. "Carter, relax. I'm not far enough along that you'll break me or the baby!"

"Good!" Carter pulled her into his lap and kissed her, then hugged her again. "I'm gonna be a dad!"

* * *

After the initial shock had worn off, Carter proposed to Dana that they invite everyone in the family over for breakfast. As it was a Saturday, both Bill and Carter's parents would have the day off from work, and barring a date with Kelsey, Ryan would also be available. Dana called her brother and her father, and Carter called his family. Tom and Lisa were available, but David was at a friend's house. They made plans for breakfast at nine, and Carter got to work.

"I'll leave it simple," he decided as he stared into the refrigerator. "Ham and cheese omelets, toast, fruit?" he asked his wife. "Will that be okay on your stomach?"

Dana nodded. "Should be fine. There's nothing too exotic there," she said. But then, as if baby Grayson decided to prove his mother wrong, Dana's hand flew to her stomach and she disappeared into the bathroom.

Carter sighed. "It better not be nine months of this," he groaned, and grabbed the butter and eggs from the fridge.

A half hour later, the doorbell rang and Bill and Ryan were standing on their doorstep. "Morning," Dana greeted them, hoping her face didn't give away anything.

"You look lousy, Dana," Ryan said. "They working you too hard at the hospital?"

"Thus the life of a doctor in training," Dana lied smoothly. "I think I might've caught a little bit of a bug," she added. _A little human bug…_ she grinned inwardly. "Come on in, Carter's in the kitchen."

"And the place is still standing?" Bill joked. Carter was actually a really good cook, something else besides reading that came as a surprise to his new wife. Bill wandered back to the kitchen with Ryan on his heels, and Dana just had a moment to breathe before Tom and Lisa Grayson were on their welcome mat. "Good morning, honey!" Lisa greeted her daughter-in-law with a hug. The pressure made Dana queasy but she shoved it aside.

"Breakfast should be almost done," she said by way of greeting. She stepped back so they could come in.

"Hi, Bill," Tom Grayson said as he entered the small kitchen. "You're out of uniform today?"

"One of the perks of owning the business," Bill replied easily. "You get the weekends off." The two got into a discussion about David's high school football team and Ryan had been put to work by Carter buttering toast.

Dana slipped into a chair at the table, joined by Lisa. She noted Lisa was studying her. After a moment, Lisa broke into a grin. "You're _pregnant_!" she announced.

The kitchen fell silent. Dana was pretty sure even the eggs had quit sizzling on the stovetop. Carter glared at his mother, and the other three men's jaws were on the floor.

Dana broke into a grin. "Is it that obvious?" she finally asked.

"Oh honey, I went through it twice," Lisa said. "You might as well have a flashing neon sign!" She reached across the table and squeezed her hand. "Congratulations!"

"You're-" Ryan pointed with the butter knife to his sister, then to Carter. "You're-?"

"Oh no," Carter said, holding up his hands. " _I'm_ sure not." He looked at his mom. "Well, thanks Mom," he rolled his eyes. "You spoiled it."

"I'm not sorry," Lisa countered. She looked at her husband with a grin. "Grandbabies, Tom!"

"Yeah, I get that," Tom said after a moment. He looked at his son. "Now I feel old," he teased them. "So, thank you for that."

"Tell me about it," Bill replied. He shook his head, as if to bring himself back to the conversation, then he went over to his daughter and gave her a hug. "Congratulations, honey," he told her. Dana was surprised to see tears. "Your mother would've been so thrilled."

That did it. The waterworks spilled over, and whether it was the sentiment or hormones, Dana didn't know.


	27. Just Another Day At the Office

"You're _what?!"_

Dana held her hands over her ears and grinned hopelessly at Kelsey across the table from her. The two were seated in the hospital cafeteria and Dana was pretty sure everyone from Reception to the O.R. had heard her friend's squeal.

"Hey, we're in a hospital," Dana reminded her, but Kelsey was practically bouncing out of her chair.

"I can't help it! This is so exciting! Are you having a boy or a girl?" Kelsey was leaning across the table now as if that was confidential information.

Dana leaned across to meet her. "We won't find out for at least a couple months yet," she told her friend and Kelsey sighed dramatically and flopped back in her chair.

"Well, if it's a girl, _Kelsey_ is a really awesome name," she teased. "I'm just sayin'."

"We'll keep that in mind," Dana replied. "We haven't thought that far ahead yet." She took a sip of her orange Gatorade, one of the few things that kept her morning sickness at bay. "I'm not even sure if we want to find out what it'll be."

"You're going to make us all be in suspense for nine months?" Kelsey bit her lip. "Bummer."

Dana smiled. "I didn't say that." She capped her Gatorade and checked her watch. "Anyway, how's training for Half Dome going?"

Kelsey popped another donut hole in her mouth. "Good. Really good. The guys that I'm climbing with say they think we'll be ready to go next month, and we just got our climbing permits in the mail. I can't wait."

"This is so cool. It'd be fun to come up and camp at Yosemite when you guys do it," Dana said. "Changing the subject…how are things with Ryan?"

Kelsey smiled. "They're good. He's been super supportive of this climb, and he seems okay with the fact that I'm spending time with two other guys while I'm training."

"Are they cute?" Dana asked off hand, and Kelsey's brown eyes widened. Dana laughed. "I'm teasing, Kels. Besides, if Ryan was jealous, he _was_ the Titanium Ranger. He could probably beat the two of them up no problem."

Kelsey looked at her watch. "Speaking of…he and I are gonna try a scramble out at Grafton Butte. I should probably get going so I can get gas before we go." She stood up and grabbed her garbage. She gave Dana a huge hug and squealed again, this time making several others around them stare. "I'm going to spoil Baby Grayson rotten," she declared. "They're going to love Auntie Kelsey."

"Of this I have no doubt," Dana chuckled. "Be careful on the scramble. Don't let anything happen to my little brother."

Kelsey put a hand over her heart. "You wound me," she said. "I see where your priorities are." She stuck her tongue out. "I'll see you later!"

Dana waved and tossed her garbage in the can and returned to her shift. She took a few steps and put a hand to her stomach. Sighing, she went back to the counter and bought another orange Gatorade. _It's going to be a long shift_.

* * *

The tones saved Zach Anderson from a crushing defeat in Yahtzee. "I almost had you, Grayson," he told Carter as they ran to get their gear.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, buddy," Carter shot back as they scrambled into their gear. He jumped in the back of the truck and Zach climbed into the passenger's seat, and they rolled out. "What's the situation?" Carter yelled up to Tyler.

"Apartment fire!" Tyler replied over the sirens. "Older building on the south side."

Carter nodded and leaned back. He and Zach and Tyler and the fourth guy, Lane, who was in the driver's seat, fell silent as they sped toward the scene. "Engine 7 is gonna meet us there," Lane said after a moment. "And Olliver's coming with them."

"Bringing out the big dogs?" Zach asked, and Lane nodded. Carter watched the streets fly past, the adrenaline starting to kick in.

* * *

Ryan hopped out of Kelsey's car and put on a pair of sunglasses. Ahead of them, Grafton Butte poked out of the trees. Kelsey joined him at the trailhead with her gear in her backpack. "Ready to go?" she asked with a smile.

He looked up at the butte. "Um. Yeah. Sure."

"Oh come on," she grinned and punched him in the shoulder. "You got this. And I'm here."

"Well, gosh, when you put it like that," Ryan grinned. "Let's do this." He held his hand out and she took it as the two of them started up the trail.

* * *

Carter had been a firefighter for almost eight years…but as Ladder 4 pulled up to the Southbay Apartments, his heart did a somersault. There wasn't a window in the complex that there wasn't smoke coming from. "How old's the building?" he yelled over the sirens, alarms, people and roar of the flames to Zach as they jumped out of the truck.

"Built in the 70s," Zach replied. "Same guy owns about eight buildings here in town."

"Jesus," Carter said, looking at the building, "was there _no_ smoke detectors?"

"It gets better!" John Olliver came up to the crew of Ladder 4, his expression grim. "It's all stairs and no elevators, and there are still people in there."

Carter grabbed for his SCBA rig, watched Zach do the same. "Lane, back 'er up so we can get up there!" Carter yelled. He and Zach started climbing to the top of the truck and got on the white ladder. Lane maneuvered the rig so the ladder was facing the building, and then Tyler hit the controls. Carter felt the world start to get smaller below him.

* * *

"Ryan, hand me that," Kelsey said from ten vertical feet above him, pointing to something on his belt. Ryan glanced down, spotted the small device that chewed into the rock and held their lines-he forgot what they were called. "This thing?" Ryan asked.

"That's the one," she confirmed. "Just toss it, I'll get it."

Ryan flipped it up to her and Kelsey caught it with the tips of her fingers. She slid up the line a little and slammed it into a crevice in the rock. The teeth opened, and she pulled on it a couple times to test it. Satisfied it would hold, she slipped her line through it. "Okay!" she announced. "Come on up."

Ryan turned his gaze skyward and frowned. "Hey, Kels? Those clouds are gettin' closer," he noted. "Should we head down?"

Kelsey followed his eyes. She frowned, annoyed. "Shoot." She looked at him. "Yeah, we probably should." She reached to release the springs that would take the cam out of the rock, and it popped out with some force. A piece of rock popped out and hit Kelsey in the face. "Ouch!" she yelled.

"You okay?" Ryan asked, not able to see much.

Kelsey touched her fingers to her face. "Yeah," she grimaced as they came away red. "Just a little scrape." She was just sliding down to Ryan's position when the first drops of rain started to fall.

* * *

 _Come on….rain_.

Carter and Zach had reached the max height the ladder could go, and now the two of them were nearly at the building. Carter gripped one of the windows and pulled, but it didn't want to open. "We're going in the hard way," he told Zach. He grabbed his fire ax, turned his head away, and slammed it into the window. Glass shattered and smoke rolled out past the two men.

"Okay!" Carter yelled as he used his sleeves to wipe away and break the remaining glass. He reached in and found the latch, then slammed the window up. "Let's go!"

Zach met him inside the apartment. "We're gonna have to go unit by unit?" he asked and Carter nodded. "Start with this one, I'll go next door," Zach said.

Carter banged on the bedroom door. "Anybody in here?" He opened the door and crouched down, looking under the beds and under the smoke. The room was empty, and so he moved to the living room.

* * *

A crack of lightning split the sky, and Ryan scrambled as fast as he could down to their next point. "Come on, Kels!" he yelled at her. She was eight feet above him, pulling their equipment down. The rain was coming down harder now and the rocks were getting slick. Ryan looked down, tempted to jump the final twenty feet to the ground. _A broken leg is much better than being dead from a lightning strike or something._ Thunder rumbled. Ryan slid down the line and looked up. He wished he could help Kelsey with their stuff but if he pulled their lines out, she'd have nothing to come down on.

"Just go!" Kelsey called down to him. "I'm good. Start pulling those out!"

"What are you gonna do-free climb down?" Ryan yelled back up.

"Yeah. I'm good."

"It's pretty slippery!" Ryan warned. As if to emphasize his point, his hand slipped off his handhold, but he didn't fall due to still being attached to the line.

"I've climbed in worse," Kelsey told him, hoping the bravado hid her nervousness. "Hurry up and get down."

* * *

The top floor of the building was cleared and Carter moved to the one below. He saw Zach moving ahead of him, pushing an elderly woman toward the stairs, where he knew two of the guys from Engine 7 were waiting to guide them out. The fire was mostly out-now the only threat was the massive amounts of smoke. And the possibility that the paint in the building was lead, which could create something more toxic in the air than the smoke. The building was old.

Carter touched the handle of one of the units and yanked it back. There was fire on the other side. And then he heard it. A faint cry from inside. "Step back and stay low!" Carter yelled, hoping they could hear him through the door. He took a step back and rammed it with his shoulder. It didn't budge. Then, he took another step away, turned, and planted his boot in the center of the door, splintering it. Using a couple more quick kicks, he'd broken a hole large enough to see inside the unit.

Flames licked the kitchen wall, and crouched just inches from the door were two little kids. "Hey guys," Carter told them. "Slide back just a little more for me, okay?"

They complied, moving backwards on their stomachs away from the door. Carter used his boot and made the hole larger, just big enough for them to squeeze through. "Time to go!" he called in to them. He helped a little boy about eight through the hole and sent him down the hall toward Zach, who was waiting at the end, having cleared the other units, and then turned to the little girl.

Carter heard a creak and felt, rather than saw, the hallway floor start to give. He turned urgently to the little girl still left inside. "Come on, honey, we gotta go."

* * *

Ryan's feet hit solid ground and he unbuckled himself from their safety line, putting the last of his equipment in the pouch on his belt. He'd done what Kelsey asked, and now watched her climbing down the butte, ten feet to go, with nothing but her hands and feet to keep her on the rock.

The bolt of lightning hit so fast it blinded Ryan and knocked him backwards onto the dirt and gravel. He looked up to see a point just above Kelsey smoking, and Kelsey hanging with one hand. "Kelsey!" he cried, struggling to get up.

He was on his feet just in time to see her lose her grip. He tried to catch her. The impact sent them both into the dirt, and Ryan heard a crack as his back hit the ground. Kelsey landed on top of him, her arm bent at an awkward angle. She wasn't moving, and Ryan wondered if the bolt had hit _her_ instead of the rock. He tried to reach for his cell phone and pulled out a broken flip phone. Then, he felt through Kelsey's pack and found hers. His fingers dialed 9-1-1, and he waited, hoping Kelsey was okay and that the storm wasn't slowing down the EMTs.

* * *

Carter felt the little girl slam into his arms, and he picked her up, burying her face in his jacket. He jogged down the hall, feeling the floor cave with every step. "This place is going down, man," he told Zach. "We gotta get out of here."

"I hear ya," Zach said. He pushed Carter ahead of him. "This way."

The two of them found the front door and burst out into the rain. The lukewarm air and moisture felt great to the two firefighters. Carter spotted John Olliver with the little girl's brother and pointed him out to her. No worse for the wear, she practically sprinted to her brother.

"Call Keith," Carter rasped out to John when he met him. "We need to look at the possibility that the fire was started deliberately."

John nodded his OK. "Go get checked out," he told Carter, and Carter didn't argue. He clapped Zach on the back and the two of them headed over to the truck.

"Carter!" he heard Lane yell over the noise, and turned. Lane was hanging out of the truck, the radio in his hand. "Bill Mitchell's on the horn for you! Something happened to your brother in law!"

Carter knew Ryan had planned to go climbing with Kelsey today. He looked at Zach in alarm. "Go!" Zach yelled, and Carter tossed his helmet and fire jacket in the back of the truck, and then ran for the nearest police cruiser.

* * *

Dana's rotation in the E.R. had been going fairly smoothly. There'd been a couple of vehicle accidents with the heavy rain, but nothing life-threatening. She was just tossing a pair of gloves in the trash from stitching up a woman who'd hit the guardrail and spun into another car, when she heard the doors down the hall slam open.

"Twenty-seven year old woman, unconscious from a fall. Definite broken arm, possible concussion, possible internal bleeding."

Dana reached for another pair of gloves. "Take her to OR, get her prepped," she heard the EMT say. "Sir, you'll have to stay here."

"I can't leave her," a man's distraught voice came back, and Dana went white. She stepped out into the hall. " _Ryan!"_

The stretcher blew past her, but she caught the unmistakable yellow workout jersey and boots. "Kelsey?" she whispered.


	28. Risk Assessment

Carter found Ryan in the waiting room of the ER at Mariner Bay General. He was a mess, covered in mud and grass and small cuts and bruises. He had a bandage that covered most of the back of his neck, and part of his shirt had been cut away and an ice pack was taped in place on his upper arm.

"Ryan?" Carter asked, and his brother-in-law looked up. Not ten seconds later, Bill Mitchell arrived. "God. Ryan. Are you okay?"

Ryan managed a nod to both Carter and his father. "'m fine," he replied quietly.

"How's Kelsey?" Carter asked.

"In surgery," Ryan said hollowly. "Dana's in there with her." He managed a humorless smile. "She's in there with the best."

"Kelsey's tough," Bill said. "I'm sure she'll be fine. Has anyone called her mom?"

Ryan shook his head, mentally kicking himself. "No. I didn't even think-"

Bill held up a hand. "It's okay. I'll take care of it." He pulled out his phone and went out to make the phone call. Carter sat down next to Ryan. Ryan looked at him.

"Rough day at the office?" Ryan asked him, trying to draw attention away from himself.

"Apartment fire," Carter replied. "Won't know for a few more days, but I'd be willing to bet it was started on purpose."

"Why?" Ryan asked.

"The wall of the floor I was on was bubbling black, which means the fire was hottest there. Probably indicative of an accelerant. Also, the building was older and mostly low-income families." He sighed. "Some days I hate my job."

"We never should've gone up there," Ryan said, so quietly that Carter almost missed it, lost in his own thoughts about the fire.

"What?"

"Grafton Butte. We never should've gone up there." Ryan leaned back against the wall, hitting it with the back of his head.

"You didn't know it was going to storm, Ryan. They can come up without warning," Carter tried toreassure him. "Forecast just said cloudy."

"I've had a bad feeling about her Yosemite climb ever since she told me she wanted to do it," Ryan said. He looked sideways at his brother in law. "This just proves I was right."

"Ryan, there was _no_ way you could've known. Yeah, sometimes you gotta trust your gut, but sometimes…sometimes it isn't what you think it'll turn out to be," Carter said. "From what I heard on the scanner on the way over here, it sounds like you saved her life by calling 9-1-1 and breaking her fall. And getting her to come down when you did."

Carter put a hand on Ryan's knee. "We all take risks, man. I know anytime I go into a fire it could be my last one," he said. "But I can't let the feeling keep me from going in."

Ryan nodded. "Makes me feel a little better, I guess, if that's what you were going for."

Carter barked out a short laugh. "Oh good. I wasn't sure my pep talk skills were still working."He gave Ryan a one-armed hug. Ryan bit his tongue to keep from crying out as Carter squished his hurt shoulder.

The door opened, and Bill came back in to join them. "Kelsey's mom is on her way. And Ryan," he said, looking earnestly at his son, "she said to tell you thank you for saving her daughter."

Carter gave Ryan a ' _see?'_ look. Bill sat down and put an arm around his son. Ryan leaned against him, closing his eyes, exhausted.

The double doors into the operating room opened, and Dana came out, tossing her gloves as she went. "Hey, guys," she said. She looked at Carter for a moment, then turned her attention to Ryan. "Kelsey's fine. They got the bleeding stopped. She's out of it from the anesthesia, but she'll be awake in a few hours."

"Her mom is on her way," Bill said, and Dana nodded. "Okay."

"Could I go see her?" Ryan asked. Dana hesitated. "Don't be long," she told him finally. Ryan nodded, and disappeared down the hall.

Dana turned her attention to Carter. "What happened to _you_?" she demanded.

"Apartment fire," Carter replied. "Got a little smoke."

"You went out on a fire?" Dana sounded upset, and Carter wasn't sure why.

"Well," he began, "it's sort of my job-"

"And what about your job _here_?" Dana asked, gesturing to her stomach. "As a father to our child?"

"Dana, I'm sure you've been under a lot of stress-" her father began, but Dana held up a hand and stepped up closer to them.

"Yeah, Dad, maybe a _little_. My best friend fell off a cliff and broke two bones and had internal bleeding. My brother is nursing three broken ribs and a dislocated shoulder. And my husband went out on a fire tonight in a raging thunderstorm at an apartment complex." She glared at them. "Am I the only person who plans to be alive when this baby is born?"

Then she burst into tears. Carter exchanged a look with Bill before he wrapped his wife in his arms. And in that moment, he made a decision.

"No more fires," Carter promised, and Dana looked up at him in surprise. "I'll get a job with EMS or arson, something that's more of a day job." He looked her in the eye. "If it'll make you less stressed, I'll even push paperwork or something."

He looked at Bill. "Or if you're still looking for a safety officer…"

Bill laughed. "You'll have to take that up with Ryan," he said. "It's technically his position." He looked at his son-in-law seriously. "Are you _sure_ this is what you want to do?"

Carter brushed his wife's hair out of her eyes and nodded, kissing the top of her head. "This is what I _need_ to do," he replied. He looked down at his wife. "My family comes first."

* * *

_A few months later…_

"Can I keep the cast?" Kelsey watched with interest as the doctor brought out the small saw to cut through the well-decorated yellow plaster on her arm and ankle.

"You can have them both if you want," Dr. Lance told her. He glanced up at Ryan and smiled. "I've never seen someone so excited for this before," he said. "But then, I also know this isn't your first cast removal either." He looked at Ryan. "Two broken wrists and a broken foot before this one."

Kelsey smiled innocently. "What can I say, Doc, I have a cast in almost every color of the rainbow now," she said.

Ryan rolled his eyes. Then, he watched as Dr. Lance plugged in the small saw and turned it on. He blanched. "Do I have to watch?" he asked.

"Baby," Kelsey stuck her tongue out at him. Then she looked at his face. He was white, and he had a thousand-yard stare. "Go," she told him, pointing with her good hand. She knew that look, having seen it on her mother Lord knows how many times. Except Anita Winslow got it with needles. Ryan nodded and left the room.

Dr. Lance looked confused. "What was all that about?" he asked her.

Kelsey returned her attention to the doctor. "Oh, nothing," she said. "Me taking care of him instead of him always having to take care of me," she offered. She waited patiently until Dr. Lance finished sawing through both casts. They came apart with a crack.

"Now, you know the muscles are probably atrophied," he said, "so you're gonna want to take it easy on them for awhile, especially that foot. I'd stick with crutches for a while, and I'll give you some physical therapy routines for both your arm and your foot."

"I know the routine," Kelsey told him. "Not my first rodeo."

"But please make it your last," Dr. Lance joked, and Kelsey grinned. He handed her the pair of crutches and she took a tentative grip to make sure she could work them with her bum hand. Dr. Lance had no doubt she'd eventually be running circles with them.

She left the room with a wave and a thank you, and went to find Ryan. He was pacing at the end of the hallway. She caught up to him swiftly and gave him a kiss.

He blinked. "What was that for?" he asked. "Um, not that I didn't mind it or anything."

"I love you," Kelsey declared. "I thought you should know."

Ryan smiled. "You love me?" he asked her, and she nodded brightly. He picked her up and swung her in a slow circle, crutches and all. "Well, I love you too. In fact-" he took a step back and reached into his shirt pocket, and pulled out a small silver object. Then, he dropped to one knee. "I could've waited, but for all I know, you could walk out that door and get run over by the mailman or something."

"You have no faith in my skills," Kelsey choked out, her eyes still on the silver ring in between his fingers.

Several nurses at the nurses station nearby gasped.

"Kelsey, I've loved you since our first pancake breakfast." He grinned, and she choked out a laugh. "Will you marry me?"

She nodded, unable to form the words, and then she laughed and said, "Of course I will!" She offered him her hand. "You'll have to put it on this hand though, til my other one is healed."

"I'll just get you one for each hand," he said, but slipped it on her right hand ring finger. "It's a titanium band," he told her with an embarrassed smile. "So you can wear it climbing and stuff, and it'll never break…" He looked at her. "And I kept the stone small so it can't get snagged on climbing gloves or rollerblades or….I dunno, a croquet mallet…"

Kelsey tapped him lightly on the knee with her crutch. "Ryan. Shut up and kiss me, already."

He grinned. "Okay," he said, and did just that. When they pulled away, Kelsey grinned. "Hey, we can totally go tell Carter and Dana! They're up getting their first ultrasound of the baby!"

Ryan gestured ahead of him. "After you," he told her and then had to run to keep up with her as she beelined for the elevator.

* * *

"Do you guys want to know what it is?" Hillary, the ultrasound tech, paused and looked at the expectant faces in front of her.

Carter and Dana exchanged glances. "Yes," Carter said after a moment. "I'd like to be able to know what colors I need to put on the walls, anyway," he said. He looked at his wife. "If that's okay?"

Dana nodded. "Sure," she agreed. "Kelsey would kill me if we made her guess."

Hillary laughed. "All right, she said, and turned the screen so they could see. "Here's the head," she said, pointing it out. "And a couple feet…and oh." She smiled. "Congratulations, Graysons…you're having a boy."

She hit a few keys, and a moment later, a picture printed of the image on the screen. In the corner in white letters it said "BABY BOY GRAYSON" and the date of the ultrasound. She gave it to Dana. "Here you go, Mommy," she said with a smile. She hit the lights and stood up. "I'll go schedule you next appointment with Dr. Keating and give you guys a minute."

She left them in the room. Dana ran her fingers lightly over the photo. "A boy," she breathed. She looked at Carter. "A boy."

"Are you okay with that?" Carter asked her. "I mean, it's not like we can take it back or anything, but-"

She hit him. "I _wanted_ a boy," she said. Carter helped her stand. "I can't wait to tell my dad," she said. Carter held the door open for her, and Dana stepped into the hallway, and was nearly bowled over by Kelsey.

"Your brother proposed!" Kelsey gushed.

"We're having a boy!" Dana cried.

Carter and Ryan covered their ears from the squealing.


	29. Teaming Up

"Joel! Quit feeding our child onion rings."

Angela Rawlings turned to Kelsey. "Under the heading, 'Things I Never Thought I'd Say," she muttered under her breath, and Kelsey tried not to smile as Angela glared at her husband from across the table. Joel deftly plucked the fried food from his ten-month-old son's grasp and replaced it with a jelly teething ring.

"Same thing," Joel said, pointing to the ring, then pointing to the onion ring.

"Except one is for when he actually _has_ teeth," Chad teased.

The team was reunited for the first time in months at the Pink Cadillac. They'd commandeered a u-shaped booth in the back of the 50s themed diner and were waiting for their actual food to show up while eating appetizers. Between Angela and Joel's little guy and the impending arrival of Dana and Carter's, along with Kelsey's training, hers and Ryan's wedding planning and everyone's jobs, they hadn't gotten together in months, so it was about time.

"So how are you feeling, Dana?" Rachel asked her.

Dana sighed. "Big," she said, and Carter immediately responded with, "You're not 'big'."

Joel raised an eyebrow. "Dude, she's got you trained."

"The shock collar works wonders," Dana said dryly.

"Ah," Kelsey said with a grin at Ryan, "so _that's_ how it works." She bumped him with her shoulder. Ryan glared at his sister. "Thanks, Dana," he said.

"Anytime, little brother," Dana replied.

"Do you have names picked out yet?" Angela asked her.

Dana and Carter looked at each other. "A couple," Carter said finally. "But we're still trying them out so we're not telling anybody. Last thing I wanna do is offend someone by not giving our kid their name."

"So he's not gonna be Joel Grayson?" Joel put a hand over his heart. "I'm crushed."

"That was the first one crossed off the list," Dana shrugged. The group laughed. No one noticed Anton Rawlings lose the jelly ring and awkwardly pick up an onion ring to start gumming.

"I can't wait to be an aunt," Kelsey gushed.

"Let me see that thing again," Angela said, and Kelsey proudly showed off her engagement ring, now on her proper hand. "God, that's beautiful. Ryan, you've got good taste."

Ryan smiled. "And it's unbreakable. Unlike her."

Kelsey stuck her tongue out, and the waitress chose that moment to come by with their food. Angela turned to feed her son and was greeted with a spit-covered onion ring. "Joel!"

"Ooooh..." the guys chorused as Joel took his SKy Cowboy hat and pulled it over his eyes.

"We better tip her good for putting up with us," Dana whispered to Rachel, and Rachel nodded in agreement.

Halfway into his bacon cheeseburger, Carter asked Chad, "How's the dojo coming along?"

Chad said, "Oh, it's going okay," as he stirred a french fry in a container of ranch. Rachel hit him. "It's going a lot better than 'okay,'" she explained. "Chad's got a full class now-that's fifteen students. I think he's going to have to hire another instructor-we have almost that many on a waiting list." She smiled at her boyfriend. "He's just modest."

"That's awesome. Maybe we should sign Anton up for lessons," Joel told Angela.

His wife rolled her eyes. "Honey, how about we wait until he can actually take more than two steps without falling on his butt?"

"Joel must be teaching him to walk, huh?" Ryan teased, and Joel responded by tossing a cherry tomato at him from his chicken salad.

"Congrats, man. I know how much you wanted this," Carter told Chad, and Chad smiled.

"You wanna come be an instructor, Carter?" Chad asked. "You took to those boxing lessons pretty well back in Lightspeed."

"Nope, I'm perfectly happy being on the arson squad," Carter replied quickly. Carter had moved to a job working under Keith in Arson which was a fairly regular 8-5 job, and the best part was that he didn't have to see a fire until the day after it was put out. He put an arm around his wife and broke off a piece of bacon with his free hand. "And my wife likes it better too. I can't get hurt behind a desk."

"Except for those nasty papercuts," Joel said.

Carter nodded seriously. "They're the devil."

"If papercuts are the only thing we have to worry about, then I think we're doing just fine," Dana cut in. She tugged on her husband's shirt. "The baby just kicked," she whispered to her husband. Carter's hand drifted from his plate to her stomach, and she slid it over to her left side. "Right...there," she said, and Carter felt the pressure of a little foot. He grinned. "That's awesome."

"Geez, get a room," Joel teased.

"No way, that's how I ended up an uncle in the first place!" Ryan told him, and everybody laughed.

* * *

Carter Grayson's phone rang at an unreasonably early hour on his day off. It took him a few moments to figure out what the ringing in his ears was. When he figured out it was his phone, he rolled over and snagged it off his nightstand. "Hello?" he said, half-asleep.

" _Carter Grayson_?" a voice asked. The voice sounded familiar, but Carter couldn't place it.

"Yeah, speaking." Carter said, rubbing his eyes. "Who's this?"

" _Carter…this is Wes. Wes Collins_."

Carter's eyes popped open. He sat up so fast the room spun. "Wes?" he asked, recognizing the voice and the name as belonging to the former Red Ranger from Silver Hills. "Hi," he said, more awake now. "What's up?"

" _Carter….we have a situation_ ," the Silver Guardian said grimly. " _Someone's called together all available former Red Rangers for a mission_."

"A Ranger mission?" Carter's hand drifted to his wrist. "What's going on?"

" _I don't have all specifics. Eric and I are on our way to Angel Grove right now. We're wondering if you could pick up another ranger on your way this direction?"_

Carter glanced at the clock. "Who's that?"

" _File says his name is Cole Evans,"_ Wes told him, and Carter could hear him flipping through paper on the other end of the phone. " _He and his team are active in Turtle Cove_."

"Right," Carter said. "We've been hearing the news." He paused for a moment. Dana was gone, at the hospital on light duty. Seven months into the pregnancy and she was doing wonderfully. Her reminder to not get into trouble echoed in his ears. _Somehow I don't think this qualifies as 'staying out of trouble,'_ he thought to himself.

" _Carter?"_ Wes's voice asked. " _You still there?"_

Carter nodded mutely. "Yeah. I'm here."

" _Look, you don't have to go,"_ Wes told him. " _I swear. I mean, we could use the firepower, but I can tell Tommy Oliver you've got a baby on the way…I'm sure he'd understand."_

"How did you-"

He heard Wes chuckle. _"Your father in law knows my dad, remember? Apparently he's been passing around your ultrasound picture."_

Carter sighed. "Thanks, Bill," he said.

" _Look, man, I don't want to sway you one way or the other,"_ Wes began, " _but….Tommy sounded kinda panicked. And you know him, the man does not panic unless it's really warranted."_

"I know," Carter said. He'd met the Zeo Ranger at a conference Bill had held involving the Lightspeed tech. Tommy was apparently in college again, this time for a degree in paleontology, but was minoring in robotics and engineering based on his love of cars and Zords.

Carter ran a hand through his hair. "I can be in Angel Grove in about two hours."

" _Great_ ," Wes said. " _After you pick up Evans, meet us at the NASADA launch facility in Angel Grove. Your morpher will get you in the gate._ "

"Morpher." Carter realized he'd have to call Bill Mitchell. He had no idea where the Rescue Morphers were, but he knew that Bill would have them in a safe place. "Right. Will do." He sighed. "My wife will be thrilled," he said. Dana would be less than thrilled-she'd be furious. "But I'll be there."

" _It'll be good to see you again,_ " Wes said. _"Wish it was under better circumstances._ "

"Yeah, no kidding," Carter said. "See you in two hours." If he pushed the Rover he could be there in about that time. He hung up the phone and stuck it in his jeans pocket, then reached into his closet for a shirt, pulling out a longsleeve red t-shirt. _Fitting_ , he thought. He grabbed a granola bar from the counter and his keys. Ryan could watch his truck. He wanted the Rover for this. As if somehow, the big yellow Hummer would keep him out of trouble. He tugged on his steel-toe boots and was out the door.

* * *

Bill Mitchell was already up for the day when someone knocked on his door. He grabbed his coffee mug and went to the front door to see his son-in-law standing outside. "Carter?" He frowned. "What's going on?"

"Morning, Bill. You wouldn't happen to know where my morpher is, would you?" Carter asked.

Bill's eyes narrowed. "The Red Rescue Morpher?" he clarified, and Carter nodded. "At Lightspeed, in my safe. What's going on?"

"I don't know the specifics," Carter echoed Wes. "All I know is someone is recruiting Red Rangers for a mission, and I need to be in Angel Grove ASAP."

"I'll get it for you," Bill said, brushing past Carter as he went upstairs. "You'll want the keys to the Rover too," he added as he came back down, pulling on a sweatshirt. "I've got those. The Rover is in the garage at Lightspeed."

"Thanks," Carter said, but his mind wasn't really focused on his father-in-law, and Bill caught it.

"Does Dana know?"

Carter shook his head. "No. She's at the hospital working." He sighed. "I'm hoping this doesn't take more than a day and I can use the excuse of going somewhere with Wes Collins to cover it up."

"Lying to my daughter, Carter?" Bill frowned.

"I have to pick the lesser of two evils, sir," Carter pointed out. "Either I tell her I'm putting on a morpher and putting myself in harm's way again, or I don't tell her about it and deal with it when she gets back." He sighed. "I don't know which one's less stressful, but I don't want to do anything to jeopardize the pregnancy." He frowned. "Or our marriage."

Bill was tense as he followed Carter to his truck and climbed in the passenger seat. "I'd say you're damned if you don't and damned if you do," he told Carter honestly.

"I know," Carter said grimly. "You always see it in the movies, right, the whole 'save the many or save the one' scenario?" He gunned the engine. "Now it's me, and my marriage, and my son and my wife against the lives of everybody on the planet."

"You need to do what you think is right," Bill said, "and I know that sounds cheesy."

"That sounds like the world's greatest catch-22," Carter said. "I go on the mission and risk my marriage, or I stay home and risk the world." He stared straight ahead. "They wouldn't have called me if they didn't need me, right? I mean, this isn't like some red ranger road trip or something…"

"I seriously doubt it," Bill replied. "Whoever put this together had to have known he or she is calling back young men who are out of the game, have been for a while. Who probably have families and jobs and lives…"

"Or a kid who's hardly had a morpher for six months," Carter added, thinking of Cole Evans.

"Or that," Bill agreed. Carter pulled into the parking lot of Lightspeed and they got out of the truck. Bill punched in his personal code and the keypad blinked green. He opened the door and let Carter go in ahead of him. Bill went into his office and punched in another code on the wall safe. He pulled out the all-too-familiar silver case and popped it open. Then, he turned and held it out to Carter. Carter pulled Rescue Morpher 1 from the case and slipped it on his wrist. He felt it hum. Then, Bill handed him a set of keys and walked with him to the garage. The Rescue Rover sat inside. Carter ran a hand over the hood. "Hello, beautiful," he told it. "We're back."

"Carter…." Bill said. Carter turned. "I need you to know, if my daughter asks where you are…I can't lie to her."

"I'm hoping she won't ask," Carter said. "But if she does…don't lie to her. I'll talk to her when I get home."

"You better _come_ home," Bill pointed out, and Carter nodded. "I will," he said. With a short wave, he waited for the garage door to open, and rolled out into the early morning sunrise. He pulled out his cell phone and left a message for his wife that he was going to spend the day with Wes and Eric in Silver Hills. Hopefully, she wouldn't call anybody else for more details.

He was going to be with a bunch of red rangers. How bad could it be?


	30. Past & Present

_Turtle Cove_

When Carter pulled into the small park in Turtle Cove, he was met by the sight of five young people, each wearing a different color-yellow, black, white, blue and red. It never ceased to amaze him how people couldn't figure out other people in their midst were Rangers-they did tend to color-coordinate. He put the Rover in park and hopped out. At the sound of the door shutting, the five Wild Force rangers looked up at him. He singled out the young man in the red vest and blue jeans.

"Excuse me. Cole Evans? Red Wild Force Ranger?"

"How do you know who I am?" Cole Evans had shaggy black hair held out of his face by a red bandanna. His red vest had a lion emblem on the right upper chest and he wore a pair of ratty tennis shoes. In contrast to all that was a pair of intense blue eyes that seemed to pick up everything.

"I'm Carter Grayson." Carter held up his right wrist with his morpher attached. "Lightspeed Rescue Red Ranger."

"Another ranger?" the youngest-looking of the five asked, in a blue t-shirt.

Carter nodded to who must have been Wild Force Blue, then turned back to Cole. "I was sent to recruit you for an important mission. The fate of the entire earth is at stake. We need your help."

"We're in," the woman in yellow told him instantly, but Carter shook his head, anticipating the response he'd get-his team would have said the same thing...if they'd known about this. "Someone will need to protect your city. We just need to borrow your Red Ranger," Carter said. He glanced at the young woman in the white sweatshirt, who was looking concernedly at Cole. "Don't worry," he reassured her. "We'll bring him back in one piece." The young Latino man in a black tanktop put a hand comfortingly on her shoulder. She nodded slowly, looking unconvinced.

Carter tried not to let his guilt show. He knew he'd made a promise he couldn't guarantee. He thought of Dana. _Well I'm already in this deep,_ he decided. _Might as well add to the list of sins…_

Cole raised a hand. "Excuse me, Carter?" he asked, snapping Carter back to the task at hand.

Carter looked at him. "Who's 'we'?" he asked him, and Carter managed a smile. "You'll see," he promised Cole. "Hop in."

* * *

"How old are you, Cole?" Carter asked him as they cruised down the highway toward Angel Grove.

"Eighteen," Cole responded. "I think, anyway." The wind whipped his black hair back as they cruised the 101.

"You think?" Carter queried, and Cole looked at him.

"It's complicated," he offered, and Carter shrugged. Cole didn't seem like he wanted to talk about it and Carter was cool with not talking.

"Where was Lightspeed Rescue based?" Cole asked him.

"Mariner Bay," Carter replied. "We passed the exit for it back there about twenty miles ago."

"Is it a nice place?"

Carter nodded. "I love it. And my family is all there, so that makes it better." He caught the sign warning him that Angel Grove was in the next four exits, and signaled to get over into the right lane.

"Your family?"

Carter felt another pang of guilt. "Yeah. My parents and little brother, and my wife. She's pregnant with our first kid."

Cole's mouth dropped into an 'O'. "And you're going on this mission?" He sounded surprised. "Is she okay with that?" he asked curiously.

 _No, kid. She's not. Or she wouldn't be. She doesn't actually know._ "You ask a lot of questions," Carter said shortly.

Cole instantly faced forward. "Sorry," he said quickly. "I didn't mean to."

Carter took a breath. "It's okay, Cole," he replied. "Uh, I didn't exactly tell her where I was going. She thinks I'm going to hang out with a couple friends in Silver Hills."

"I guess once a ranger, always a ranger, huh?" Cole asked him, and Carter nodded. The exit for Angel Grove came up and Carter turned off the highway and crossed into the city. For Cole's benefit, he explained, "This is where the very first team of Rangers served. The city was in turmoil for about six years, but they're mostly rebuilt now, and haven't had a monster problem in a decade or so." He pointed to a open patch of concrete and pavement to their right. "This is the NASADA Space Port," he told Cole. "Our ride is here."

"Our ride?" Cole asked. "To where?"

Carter grinned. "I won't spoil it for you." He flashed his Lightspeed morpher at the gate guard, who opened the security fence, and the Rescue Rover drove onto the base and pulled into a massive hangar. A black SUV with emergency lights and a red sports car were already inside.

Cole's eyes widened as he recognized faces he knew standing near the SUV. Carter was barely parked before he was unbuckling his seat belt. "Wes? Eric?" He hopped out of Carter's Rover and gave Time Force Red and the Quantum Ranger a high five.

Carter glanced up at the two men leaning against the SUV. Both were in red berets and dark navy blue coveralls. _Oh look. There's my alibis._

"Hey, Cole," Eric said.

"I see you've already met the Silver Guardians," Carter said, sounding confused.

"Oh we go way back," Wes grinned. "It's good to see you again Carter."

Carter looked at Wes. "Nice to see you guys again," he told him and Eric.

"What are you guys doing here?" Cole wanted to know.

Eric spread his arms indicating the hangar. "We got a message to meet here at the NASADA Space Port."

"Something about a mission requiring Red Ranger firepower," Wes added. "And then I got asked to call you and Carter," he told Cole. He looked at Carter. "Tommy's doing the delegating."

Carter nodded knowingly. "Ah."

"There's perks to being Red," a new voice said with a smile, and the four men turned to see a fit black man in a red T-shirt and black jeans coming up to them.

"That's the red Turbo Ranger. Theodore Jay Jarvis Johnson," Wes introduced TJ to Cole.

TJ laughed and shook his head. "Please, just call me TJ. Only my wife calls me TJ and that's only when she's _really_ upset with me." He pointed to someone coming from across the hangar. "That's Andros." He wore a gray NASADA-issue flight suit, and his long hair was streaked blond and brown. "No last name, kind of like Sonny or Cher."

"Who?" Cole asked, looking at Carter, confused.

"Shut up, TJ," Andros said as he came up to the group and nodded to Cole.

"Glad you could join us all the way from Turtle Cove," he said. "I'm Andros, as they said. Red Space Ranger." He looked at TJ. "And I have a last name, it's just a pain to pronounce for you Earthlings."

TJ held up his hands in mock surrender.

"So….You guys were all red rangers too?" Cole glanced around the circle as each man nodded to him in turn. He looked at Andros. "What's going on here?"

"We were all assembled by a veteran ranger, our leader for this mission," Andros explained.

Cole frowned. "Leader?"

Andros grinned. "Just wait. He likes to make an entrance." As if he'd heard him, a second later, a figure came in from outside. He wore khaki pants, a brown leather jacket and a red checkered shirt. He had spiky brown hair. He came up to the group.

Cole looked unimpressed. "Who's that?" Andros grinned at the look on Tommy Oliver's face. It was apparently obvious that he wasn't used to people _not_ knowing who he was.

TJ grinned. "That's Tommy. The Red Zeo Ranger. He's a legend."

Carter heard Eric snort. Carter knew of TJ and Andros and some of his other his predecessors by news articles only-he'd never actually met anyone but Tommy in person. Bill Mitchell had told him once that Lightspeed had compiled a list of all the former Power Rangers that had ever served when the project had first started. Carter had never seen the archive.

"Thank you, guys, for comin' on short notice." Tommy said, looking at all of them.

"So what's goin' on? Your call sounded urgent," Wes asked him.

Tommy looked grim. "I was hoping this day would never come. Andros has recently tracked down the remains of the evil Machine Empire."

Carter tensed. He'd been young, but he vaguely remembered hearing of the Machine Empire, led by a particularly nasty alien named King Mondo. In fact, he remembered playing Zeo Rangers on the playground-although he hadn't been Red, he'd chosen Blue-and now one of them was standing in front of him.

TJ swore, then raised a hand. "But I thought the Zeo Rangers destroyed them years ago?" he asked.

Tommy sighed. "We destroyed their leaders, but some of the generals managed to survive in hiding all these years. They've been recouping, amassing on the moon. Preparing to invade Earth."

"The moon?" Cole interrupted. He pointed skyward. "How are we supposed to get there?"

Andros flicked on the bank of lights that illuminated the back of the hangar. Carter looked up at the massive silver and blue spaceship that appeared out of the darkness. "This is the _AstroMegaShip Mark II_ , fresh of the construction yards of KO-35." Andros sounded proud. "The fastest spaceship in the galaxy."

"Guys," Tommy began, "This is gonna be a dangerous mission and I can't force you to go. This is a decision you have to make on your own. I know you guys are retired, and enjoying regular lives."

Cole stepped forward. "I don't know much about spaceships or this Machine Empire. But I will go wherever I must to protect the Earth." Carter was impressed by the gusto of the newest Red Ranger.

"Sam goes for us," Wes said, speaking for himself and Eric. He didn't even have to look to know Eric was nodding in agreement.

"Count me in," Carter said, ignoring the twinge in his stomach and the flash of his child's ultrasound photo in his mind.

"It's not even a question," TJ said, crossing his arms, as if daring Tommy to object.

"Then it's settled," Andros said, looking at Tommy. "I'll go start the pre-check for the ship." He took two steps and turned back. "Wait. Wasn't there another Red Ranger here on Earth?"

Tommy nodded. "Two, actually," he clarified. "Rocky is currently in Africa, visiting a friend."

"And the other?" Wes asked.

"I was hopin he'd show up…" Tommy admitted. "But I guess he couldn't make it. We'll have to go on without him." On that, the group turned for the Megaship. Carter saw Cole take a couple steps and freeze. "Hey, it's okay," Carter said. "Space is no big deal."

"No, it's not that," Cole said. "I hear something. Come on!" he said, and took off for outside. Carter glanced at Eric and Wes, and the group followed Cole outside. As they stepped into the sunlight, Carter saw a black Harley Davidson Softail roaring up to them. He marveled at the beautiful bike. The owner turned it off and swung a leg over the back. He pulled off his helmet, his black jacket pulling up to reveal a plain red t-shirt underneath. He turned to the group, and smiled. "You guys weren't gonna do this without me, were you?" he asked.

"Who's that?" Cole whispered to Carter, but Tommy spoke up.

"Hey, Jason," he said.

"Jason Lee Scott," Carter whispered back. "That's the original Red Ranger."

"Wow," Cole breathed. " _He's_ the legend."

Carter ducked his head to hide a grin and heard TJ cough to hide a laugh.

Jason walked up to Cole. "You must be the new guy?" he asked, noting the red tinge to Cole's ears and cheeks. Cole rubbed his sweaty hands against his jeans and then offered a hand to Jason with a smile. "It's an honor," he told him.

Jason glanced around at the group. "I recognize some of you guys…" He looked at Tommy and winked. "Some of you more than others."

"I was startin' to wonder if you were gonna show up at all," Tommy teased him and Jason gave him a mock glare.

"You guys weren't gonna do this without the original Red Ranger, were you?" he asked them. He looked at Tommy. "No Rocky?"

Tommy shook his head. "He's in Africa and couldn't get a flight back."

Jason nodded. "That sucks," he said. "I think he still has the red Ninja powers," he told the other veteran. "We coulda used him."

"If we had time to wait, I would," Tommy replied. "But we don't have a choice. It's now or never."

Jason nodded. "I agree. Let's do this."

Carter watched the exchange. It was fascinating. His father in law would've enjoyed watching these two men interact. It was obvious they'd known each other for years, like they were on the same wavelength. Less like rangers and teammates and more like brothers or best friends.

 _Good guys to have on your side_ , he decided, and followed the group up into the MegaShip. He buckled himself into a jump seat and listened to the ship computer count down the launch sequence. He glanced over at Cole. "How ya doing over there, newbie?" he asked him.

Cole gave his harness a hard shake. "As long as I don't fall out, I'm good." He had his head craned out the window, and Carter hid a smile. It was like watching a little kid in their first plane ride or something.

He heard Wes ask, "Hey Andros? How fast does this thing go?"

Andros quoted him the speed and Wes coughed. "Is it fast enough to break a time barrier?" he asked. Eric looked at Carter. Carter understood why Wes was asking.

"No," Andros admitted. "It would have to create its own rupture in the space-time continuum for that, and that probably won't be a system design for a few more years."

Wes slumped in his seat as much as the harness would let him. Carter reached over and patted him on the arm. At least Dana, however pissed she may be at him after this was all over, was in the same Zip Code. The love of Wes's life was still a thousand years in the future.


	31. One Giant Leap For Rangerkind

He'd forgotten how beautiful it was. Space. The last time he'd been this far into it, they'd been trying to escape some killer flower pods. He hadn't really been paying attention to the scenery then. Now, Carter wandered through the halls of the MegaShip, following Andros into the Command Center, a gunmetal gray room with a projection mount and a hard metal conference table. He sat down next to Jason in one of the ergonomic chairs. _Thank God Kerovians are humanoid_ , he thought. He briefly imagined an ergonomic chair for an alien with four legs and three arms. Sitting around the table were TJ, Wes, Eric and Cole. Andros and Tommy were standing, and a little robot Carter had been introduced to as Alpha Seven was bringing up the projection screen. It reminded Carter of the Time Force holoscreen.

Andros spoke to Tommy. "I contacted Leo on Mirinoi and Aurico on Aquitar." Carter smiled. It'd been too long since he'd seen Leo. The last time had been at his wedding. And he'd never met Aurico, the red Alien Ranger.

Alpha Seven announced, "It's all ready, Tommy." The projection screen flickered, and came to life. On the screen, Carter saw a snakelike Zord slice its way through the middle of the screen.

"Let's get started," Tommy said. "Several years ago the Machine Empire emerged from space. Myself and the other Zeo Rangers succeeded in stopping the invasion by defeating their king, King Mondo, and most of his army with him. But, now the last surviving members of the Machine Empire have regrouped under the command of a General Venjix and are here, at the Sea of Tranquility on the Moon. "The screen switched to a geographic map of the moon. A dark valley was highlighted in blue.

The screen started playing back the footage Andros had recorded on the Moon. Wes leaned forward for a better look. "Looks like they're digging something there," he pointed. He looked up at Tommy. "What do they want on the moon?""

"Serpenterra," Jason realized instantly, and Tommy nodded. Carter looked at the two veteran rangers. Jason's mouth was set in a thin line, and Tommy hadn't really lost his grim expression.

"Someone wanna clarify what the hell that is?" Eric asked. "Everybody keeps saying it like it's supposed to mean something to us."

"Years ago when Lord Zedd was defeated, his personal MegaZord, Serpenterra, was hidden on the moon," Tommy explained with a side glance at Eric.

"But I spent the last few months tracking General Venjix," Andros added. "They've uncovered Serpenterra."

"If the Machine Empire gets their hands on Serpenterra, they're gonna have more than enough power to destroy Earth," Jason told Eric, and the Quantum Ranger nodded in understanding.

Cole pounded a fist on the table. "We have to stop them here. We're the only chance Earth has."

"The rookie is a little overdramatic," Jason said, "but he's right." He ruffled Cole's hair to show he was kidding.

* * *

Andros set the MegaShip down on a rise just above a metal, Quonset-looking building. It looked so out of place. "How come nothing on Earth-satellites, NASADA- never picked up on this?" Eric asked Andros.

"Near as I can tell, it's cloaked somehow," the Kerovian responded. "They've been working in secret for months now. If I hadn't followed one of the generals from Onyx, I probably wouldn't have caught it either. We also passed through some kind of invisible shield, which I think is what allows them to breathe since there's no air on the moon."

"How do you wanna play this?" TJ asked Jason and Tommy. The two looked at each other.

"How 'bout we just go up to the front door and knock?" Jason suggested, and Tommy grinned.

Carter stayed watching the rear as Jason and Tommy led the group toward the entrance. Wes and Eric hung back with him, watching everyone's sixes. In no time at all, Jason and Tommy had two of the guards unconscious, and the rest of the group stepped into the warehouse. Carter could hear voices around the corner of some heavy digging machinery. Then, he held up a hand and pointed. Wes and Eric saw the two foot soldiers coming toward the group, but Jason, Tommy and the others at the front were looking at the generals inside the room, and not off to their sides. Without even thinking about it, Carter yanked the Rescue Blaster from its holster and fired two shots in quick succession, blasting holes in the two soldiers, defeating the welcoming committee, but announcing their presence.

The one in the silver helmet-General Venjix, based on Andros's briefing-turned. "What's going on?" he demanded.

There was no sense in trying to hide now. The eight red rangers walked in and faced Venjix and his two right hand assistants. Jason shed his leather jacket, tossing it into a corner. "You know, if you miss King Mondo that much, we promise we can help you join him," he said, never taking his eyes off Venjix.

"We're _not_ gonna let you bring back Serpenterra," Cole added, clenching a fist.

The silver general surveyed the group. Then, he turned to them. "Try and stop us," he hissed at them.

Carter lowered himself into a defensive stance. _This is it_. _Please get me off this rock in one piece…._

"Let's do it!" Tommy yelled, and with a yell, the eight rangers exploded into battle.

* * *

TJ handled four cogs near an instrument panel. The big man was throwing kicks and punches like he'd never quit. Truth was, TJ hadn't just stopped training when he'd stopped being a Ranger. He'd enjoyed the workout so much that he was still kickboxing four times a week at an Angel Grove gym. His wife, Cassie Johnson nee Chan, the former Turbo Pink and Pink Space Ranger, joined him three times a week when her job as a social worker allowed.

Tommy had tried to lose his jacket before going up against another set of Cogs, but midway through taking it off, a Cog had come up behind him and grabbed both sleeves. Tommy shucked the jacket and decided to use it to his advantage, wrapping it around one cog and sending it into a group and knocking them back, tossing the jacket on top of one headed his way, blinding it, and then he kicked it in the stomach, where it staggered back and landed on top of two more. With a flying spin kick, he knocked another to the ground, then rolled and swept the feet out from another. He walked over to the unconscious cogs and picked up his jacket, dusting it off like nothing had happened.

Jason was by far the oldest of the group, but you'd never have known it. The Earth's first Red Ranger easily handled the cogs he was fighting, the moves feeling as natural and as fluid as they had when he'd been a sophomore in high school and Zordon had chosen him. When two cogs grabbed his arms, Jason used their grip to flip over their shoulders, yanking his arms from their grip and then using a tornado kick to send them flying.

Eric had chased a group of cogs up onto the second level of the facility. As the group advanced on him, Eric glanced backward and found a desk – _seriously? These guys don't strike me as the paperwork type-_ that he rolled over the top of. A cog tried to follow him, jumping on top. "Bad move," Eric smirked, and kicked the cog's legs out from under him. As he toppled off the desk, another was coming to take his place, jumping over the desk. Eric slammed a foot into the cog's chestplate, the force knocking the cog into the space where the chair normally was tucked away _and_ the desk across the landing.

Andros had followed Eric up the stairs and ran into a mess of cogs who were joining the fight from the back of the building. Andros backflipped into the middle of a bunch of them, trading kicks and punches with a few. One tried to shove him over the railing. Andros grabbed the top rain with both hands, and like an Olympic gymnast on the parallel bars, swung around and nailed a cog in the head before using the bar to push himself over the top of a cog. "That's a perfect ten," Andros said. Another cog tried to attack from behind him on a ledge, but Andros grabbed the spear he was holding and used the momentum to fling the cog _over_ the railing and down onto the floor.

The baton rolled out of the cog's hands, and Wes Collins picked it up. He instantly went to work, attacking the cogs around him with the metal lance. He jabbed the point into the floor and swung around it, his combat boots catching the cogs unfortunate enough to be in his way. As a cog came at him with another lance, he used his to sweep it out of the cogs hand, and then used _both_ batons he was now holding and swung like Chipper Jones in a major league playoff game. The cog went flying, actually slamming through the glass windows of the building and out into the moon dust. "And the crowd goes wild," Wes muttered, flipping the lances in both hands.

Carter had gone on the offensive immediately as the cogs had come at him. He'd rolled out into the open so he had nothing at his back, and drew his blaster. Without even aiming, Carter fired on two cogs, hitting them point blank in the chest and knocking them out of commission. He heard a mechanical whine, and looked over to see three cogs taking aim with their own blasters. "Where'd you get those?" he demanded, but the cogs weren't the talkative type. They fired on Carter, and Carter used the wall closest to him and used a trick Chad had taught him-running _up_ the wall and flipping backwards, feeling the heat from the blaster shots on his back. As he came back down, he fired midair at another cog, hitting it between the eyes. As he had a moment to breathe, he reached a hand behind and felt his jacket. The Lightspeed Rescue logo was warm, and he smelled burnt fabric. There would be no hiding that from Dana. _Great_. Now he was mad. Carter took a boxer's swing at a cog and sent it flying, then looked around to assess the situation. It looked like the foot soldiers were mostly done, although Cole was still battling a few. He watched the rookie ranger bounce off a metal platform and take a flying kick at one of the cogs.

"Generals, let us board Serpenterra." Carter heard Venjix a second before he heard Cole yell, "No!" and take off outside, following the generals who'd decided the red rangers weren't worth their time any longer.

"Cole!" Carter yelled. He turned back, saw Eric and Andros staring down from the upper level. "Guys, come on!" he yelled to them, waving for them to follow him outside.

"Where'd the rookie go?" Jason demanded as he ran up to Carter.

"Outside. Venjix and his buddies are headed for Serpenterra!"

Cole's sneakers skidded to a stop in the soft moon dust. "Stop!"

To his surprise, the generals actually paused for a moment, and looked back his way. "You fool. You will be the first to feel our wrath," Venjix growled, and fired at Cole. The shot exploded at Cole's feet, sending him flying backwards. Cole rolled, groaning in pain. The bottoms of his shoes were smoking.

"Cole!" Carter yelled, a split second before the five generals took aim at Cole again.

To his relief, they were blasted back in a cloud of sparks and smoke. Carter looked to his left to see a familiar uniform, one he hadn't seen in almost two years. Leo Corbett, the Red Galaxy Ranger, and Aurico, the Red Alien Ranger from Aquitar, had arrived on Leo's Jet Jammer. Carter watched Aurico grab Cole and heft him onto the Jammer, whisking him up and over the stunned generals, and landing the three of them near the others.

"Thank you, Rangers," Cole said as soon as he caught his breath. Aurico clapped him on the shoulder.

"Power down!" Leo called, his suit disappearing, leaving him standing there in a jean jacket and red tanktop. Aurico chose to stay morphed, but nodded a greeting to Tommy, whom he'd known for years.

"We got here as soon as we could," Leo told Andros.

"Thanks for joining the party," Andros replied. Leo glanced over and saw Carter. "Hey. Been a while," he said, shaking Carter's hand. "Sorry we've not been back to visit."

"I guess waiting for a wormhole is not like waiting for a bus," Carter replied with a smile. "You look good, man."

"Thanks," Leo replied.

"Save the catching up for later, guys," Tommy announced. "We're not done here."

"Yes sir," Aurico muttered, earning a laugh from Leo and a glare from Tommy. The now _ten_ Red Rangers stood facing Venjix and his generals.

"Ten red rangers," Venjix scoffed, as if he was facing nothing more than a row of trees.

Jason looked down the line at them, his eyes settling on Tommy. "Well, what are we waiting for?"

"Let's do it guys," Tommy confirmed. Carter saw Jason reach behind his back and pull out a gold coin.

"It's morphin' time!" Jason yelled, slamming the coin into his morpher. "Tyrannosaurus!" Carter _swore_ he heard a growl emanate from the red light that engulfed Jason.

"Zeo Ranger Five! Red!" Tommy was next, the red helmet and star shaped visor of the red Zeo ranger appearing.

"Shift into Turbo!" TJ was yelling.

"Let's Rocket!" Andros punched his code into his morpher, connecting him to the Morphing Grid and transforming him into the Red Space Ranger.

Next to Carter, Leo had already activated the sequence. "Go Galactic!"

 _God help me if my wife finds out about this_. Carter threw his hands out in front of him, his thumb and forefinger already spinning the dial. "Lightspeed Rescue!" he yelled, feeling the Power surge through him once again. A split second later, he was looking through the tinted visor of his Lightspeed Rescue helmet.

Next to him, Wes was yelling, "Time for Time Force!" As his suit appeared, Eric was reaching up and calling for his own powers.

"Quantum Power!"

Cole dialed in on his Growl Phone. "Wild Access!" he yelled, and this time, Carter _did_ hear the roar of a Lion as the energy and adrenaline overtook Cole and he roared to the heavens.

Aurico stood alert and on the defensive, watching the others' backs as they transformed. "Red Alien Ranger!" he announced, letting them know he was with them.

"All right guys, let's do it!" Tommy yelled out, as Carter felt the last of the residual energy from the morphing grid burn off his suit and condense behind him. _Someone someday needs to figure out how to use that to their advantage_ , he thought, making a note to have his father-in-law look into exactly how much energy was burned off and whether or not it could be weaponized.

"We're here to save the Earth. Let's take 'em down!" Cole interrupted Carter's scientific thoughts as he charged forward, going directly after General Venjix.


	32. What Happens On the Moon...Ends Up On Earth

All hell broke loose. The Rangers split up, two each going after one of the alien generals. Jason and Cole went directly after Venjix himself. Carter took a potshot at the one in light blue armor, sending him running. "Oh no, you don't," Carter growled. "You're not getting off that easy." He took off, and caught a flash of red next to him. Andros was beside him, his Astro Blaster drawn. "Mind if I join the party?" Andros asked.

Carter gestured to the general, who let loose a barrage of energy at the Space and Lightspeed rangers. The two took up defensive positions behind a couple of giant boulders. "Be my guest," Carter said. "You ready?"

Andros nodded. "Let's do it!" The two stepped out from behind their hiding places, Carter firing at the general facing them. Andros rolled forward, firing several shots. "Come on!" he yelled. Carter pushed forward, taking a running start, and launched himself off Andros's shoulders, hitting the general point-blank in the face-if he had a face. "You had enough?" Carter asked Andros.

"Oh, yeah," Andros said, and the two took aim together. With one long, sustained blast, the combined energy stream pushed the general over the side of a crater and several hundred feet to crash land in a nasty heap in the moon dust below.

"Nice shooting," Andros told Carter.

"Not so bad yourself," Carter replied, stepping over to the edge of the crater, Rescue Blaster drawn. He peered over the edge. The general lay in a broken, twisted position. "He's not getting up again," Carter confirmed. "Let's go see if we can help the others."

Andros and Carter both turned to see Serpenterra rising above the moon surface. The silver and green Zord gleamed in the sunlight bouncing off the moon. "Oh, crap," Carter muttered.

"That's not good," Andros agreed.

Cole skidded up to them. "He's taking off!" he yelled. "We have to do something!"

"That's one _ugly_ Zord," Tommy said from next to them.

"He's gettin' away!" Leo stated the obvious, pointing. "Now's the time to get him, if he gets into open space we're screwed!"

"We've gotta get back to the Megaship," Jason said, but Carter grabbed the original red ranger's arm.

"Leo's right. There isn't time! We have to take down Serpenterra before it leaves the moon," Carter said.

The ten rangers stared up at Serpenterra, each running through contingency plans and coming up blank. Then suddenly, Cole broke the silence. "There's only one chance!" He whipped out his Growl Phone.

"It's a little late to be calling in backup," TJ said, but Cole wasn't calling for his team.

"Wild Force Rider!" he yelled. Carter saw a flash of red, and a motorcycle appeared. It was red and silver, with large wings and an eagle beak. Cole leapt on the speeding bike as it cruised past the group, and then he pulled it straight vertical, heading straight for Serpenterra.

"Go get em Rookie!" Eric said from the ground, putting a hand to his visor.

Carter held his breath as Cole played chicken with Serpenterra, weaving in and out. The smaller Wild Force Rider was outmaneuvering the bigger zord, but as Cole came screaming around the back of the Zord, its' scorpion-like tail fired purple energy at him.

"Oh no," Andros breathed, but Cole pulled up at the last second into a roll, throwing himself away from it to pull around in front.

"What's he doing?" Wes demanded, as for a moment, Cole hung suspended in front of the mouth of Serpenterra.

"No way," TJ hissed, realization dawning. "Get outta there, kid!" he yelled, knowing he couldn't hear him.

Carter saw a glow in Serpenterra's teeth. "He's gonna fire!" At point blank range, Cole wouldn't survive. Not even a ranger suit could take that kind of hit. " _Cole!_ " he yelled. "Move!"

Cole moved. But not the direction Carter expected. The nine rangers on the surface heard Cole gun the engine of the Wild Force Rider, and surge forward, directly into the oncoming beam.

"Cole, no!" Jason was yelling, helpless on the ground to do anything but watch as Cole disappeared in a burst of light.

Seconds later, flames began exploding down the side of Serpenterra out of the exhaust ports. And then Carter realized what had happened. Cole had effectively plugged the hole, and the energy that was building had ricocheted back into Serpenterra, destroying the zord. Serpenterra began to expand, and then, it exploded. The shock wave sent them falling to the moon's surface.

Carter struggled to his elbows. "Where is he?" he wondered, climbing gingerly to his feet. The nine rangers on the ground dove for cover as pieces of Serpenterra rained down in fiery pieces around them.

"I don't see him," Tommy said. He scanned the stars. There was a moment of silence on the ground.

Then, something silver and red came screaming over their heads, and Andros pointed. "He's alive!" Cole pumped a fist and Carter couldn't help but return the gesture.

Jason watched him do a loop and shook his head with a grin under his helmet. "I gotta admit, you did well, rookie."

* * *

The sun was setting as nine men went through the post-flight checklist for the Astro MegaShip. The only one not present was Aurico, who needed to get back to Aquitar to recharge, with the promise he'd be back to Earth soon. Once Andros was satisfied everything was in order, Alpha 6 opened the cargo hatch and they stepped onto terra firma. Carter held his singed jacket in his arms. They walked over to where Wes and Eric's SUV, Jason's bike, the Rescue Rover and Tommy and TJ's cars had been moved to get them out of the hangar.

"Thank you Rangers, you've done a great service to the entire universe," Tommy said after they'd had a moment to contemplate the fact that they were all alive, Serpenterra was destroyed, and they were home, more or less in one piece. Leo was sporting a limp, Carter's jacket was singed. Cole was sporting some nasty burn marks on his neck and hands, places where the Ranger suit wasn't necessarily the greatest armor. And Jason had to help TJ pop a shoulder back into place that he'd dislocated diving away from a piece of Serpenterra.

"Don't mention it, bro," Jason replied. "It's just what we do."

Cole, forever cementing his rookie status at this moment in time, eagerly held a hand out and closed it into a fist. After a moment, Jason chuckled and stuck his hand next to Cole's. He was followed by Carter, Wes, Eric, TJ, Leo, Andros, and finally, Tommy. Carter snuck a glance at Cole, who was grinning from ear to ear. After a moment, they let their hands drop.

"Well," Tommy began, "guess it's time to say goodbye again. May the power protect you all." And without another word, he walked over to a red convertible, climbed in, and drove away.

Cole watched him go. "So, that was Tommy," he said. He looked at Jason. "Does he always appear and disappear like that?"

"Oh, yeah, you like that exit huh?" Jason asked him with a grin at TJ. They both looked at Cole and burst out laughing. "Yeah," Jason said. "The 'greatest' Ranger tends to do that."

"Well, I wouldn't go so far as to call him the _greatest_ ," TJ said, playing along. "I mean, after all _I_ was the one who replaced _him_."

Jason snickered. "And _I_ was the one doin' all the work while _he_ was in Ernie's kissin' on Kimberly."

"Who?" Cole asked, and TJ whispered, "Jason's Pink."

"She's not _my_ Pink," Jason said immediately, and the others laughed.

"And that hair cut's definitely _not_ regulation," Carter couldn't resist, sticking his fingers in his hair so it stuck up just a little bit. Wes laughed.

"My Q-Rex would eat his Dragonzord for _lunch_!" Eric put in.

"I discovered a galaxy," Leo offered to the group. "He doesn't have _that._ "

"Wait, I changed history," Wes pointed out with a smile. "So why does _he_ get a fan club and I don't?"

"Oh, don't get me started on those crazy people," Jason rolled his eyes with a knowing look.

"Hey, I saved _two_ worlds," Andros added.

"Wait wait wait…did I ever tell you guys about the time I was baked in a giant pizza?" TJ asked them all, and Andros hit him as Jason and Leo groaned, having heard the story _multiple_ times.

"Yeah, that's not winning you any points," Andros told TJ, and the big man grinned.

"So, people think he's the greatest just because he's worn more colors then?" Cole asked Jason, who had just told him that Tommy had also sported green and white. When Jason nodded, Cole frowned. "That sounds more like he just can't let it go," he said finally, and the entire group burst out laughing.

* * *

Carter dropped Cole back in Turtle Cove with the promise that they could contact Mariner Bay anytime if they needed any assistance, though he was sure, like the teams before them, that the Wild Force Rangers had everything well in hand. It was dark when he pulled up in front of their house and shut the Rover off. He patted the dash fondly and climbed out.

"Dana?" he called as he opened the front door. "Are you home?"

"Kitchen!" Dana called back. Carter listened carefully, but didn't hear anything unusual in her voice. _Maybe I'm safe_ , he though to himself. He shrugged off his Lightspeed jacket and hung it in the hall closet, then went in search of his wife. "Hi, honey, how was your day?" he asked Dana, joining her in the kitchen. He kissed the top of her head and hugged her from behind, letting his fingers drift over her belly. "How's my little guy?"

"Surprisingly quiet," Dana said, shaking her head. She turned from the salad she'd been tossing and looked up at him. "First time in about six hours. I swear he'll be a soccer player."

"You'll be the hottest soccer mom on the field," Carter replied. "What's for dinner? It smells amazing."

"I thought I'd try your mom's lasagna," Dana said. She bit her lip. "I think it's going to turn out okay."

"I'm not worried. I'm going to go take a quick shower." He was halfway down the hall when his wife asked the question.

"How are Wes and Eric?" she called from the kitchen.

Carter closed his eyes. "They're good."

"What'd you guys do all day?" He heard the oven door close and he wandered his way back to the kitchen. He leaned against the wall. Her face didn't give anything away. She had one hand on the counter and one hand on her belly. She was looking at him, waiting for an answer. Before he could say anything, she answered the question by pointing at his wrist.

He looked down, and grimaced. Rescue Morpher 1 shone back at him, still slightly dusty from the moon dust kicked up during the fight. He'd forgotten to ditch it with his jacket. _Crap._

"Dana-"

She held up a hand. "Save it. I don't want to hear it. I called the house at noon to see if you wanted to do lunch, and when you didn't answer your phone, I tried your office, and when they told me you didn't show up at work today, I called my Dad." She looked at him. "You quit your job as a firefighter because working in Arson was a safer career. And then you put on a morpher of all things? Because somehow _that's_ safer than a fire?"

"I-" Carter ran a hand through his hair. This was _exactly_ what he _hadn't_ wanted to happen. "Dana, I didn't want you to worry-"

"So you lied to me instead."

He waved a hand. "I didn't-"

" _Not_ saying anything is just as bad!" Dana yelled. "I think I liked it better when I only had to worry about you in a thirty-story high rise. You went into _space_!"

"What do you want me to say, Dana?" Carter demanded. "Obviously 'sorry' isn't gonna cut it, so what do you want me to say?"

She slammed her hand down on the counter. "I _want_ my husband to be around when our _son_ is born!" she yelled. "I _don't_ want you to _lie_ to me! I want you to _trust_ me enough to tell me if you're going to go off and be a hero for the day." She threw both hands in the air and pointed to his wrist. "I believe in 'once a ranger' as much as the next person, but Carter, we have _lives_ now. There are plenty of teenagers with attitude out there who are just as capable as you and I were of taking over the duties of saving the world every other year from God knows what." She looked at him. "The world doesn't need you anymore, Carter."

She was crying. He hated that he'd made her cry. And be damned if there weren't tears in his own eyes.

" _I_ need you, Carter." She put his hands on her belly. " _We_ need you."

Carter ran his fingers over hers, over her belly. "I'm sorry," he choked out. "God, Dana, I…I'm so sorry." He knelt down, kept one hand interlaced with hers, and pressed his forehead to her stomach. "I'm sorry." He looked up at her. "I'm done, Dana. I swear. The only adventure I want in my life right now is fatherhood."

"I'm okay with you wanting adventure, Carter." Dana sighed. She leaned against the counter. "I'm sorry. Most of that was hormones. But next time Tommy Oliver or any of the others call and it involves a morpher and spandex-"

"I'll let it go to voicemail," Carter promised. The baby kicked, and he jerked his head back. "I think our baby just tried to kick me in the head."

"Knocking some sense into his Daddy," Dana said, managing a smile.

"Am I forgiven?" he asked her, standing back up and taking her hands.

She shook her head. "Not yet," she told him. "One night on the couch ought to fix that."

Carter sighed. "I guess I deserve that. Deal."

Dana stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him. "Good. Now go shower."

"Yes, ma'am," he responded and took off down the hallway. She waited until she heard the bathroom door close and the water turn on.

Dana looked down at her belly, felt her baby boy kick again. "Oh, sure," she whispered to him, "he listens to me _now_."

Baby Boy Grayson kicked against her hand again, as if in agreement.


	33. Life Goes On

Ryan, Chad, Joel and Carter were sitting at their favorite high top table at the pier sports bar, a deck of cards laid out on top. A stack of peanuts was next to each person's drink. Ryan hadn't wanted anything wild and crazy for his bachelor party, and when Carter found out the man had never played Texas Hold 'Em before, he decided a day of surfing and hanging at the beach and then dinner, drinks and poker at the pier was the perfect bachelor party. And he made Joel swear to not pay any waitresses to flirt with his brother-in-law.

Carter glanced down at the three overturned cards in the center of the table. "All right, who's in?" he asked.

"I'm out," Joel said. His stack of peanuts was much smaller than his friends. Joel could talk a tough game but the man had NO poker face.

"Probably wise," Chad said. He slid his peanuts into the center. "I'm all in." He took a sip of his beer and leaned back in his chair.

Ryan looked at him. "I'll take that bet," he said, sliding his peanuts in as well.

"Wow," Carter said. "We got us a game now," he said. "I'm out this round too." He looked at Ryan and Chad. "Okay, boys, let's see 'em."

Chad flipped over two aces. The third ace in the center gave him three and the two fives gave him a full house.

"Oh come on," Ryan said, groaning at the sight of his three aces. "Who knew you were such a card shark," he groused as Chad slid all of the peanuts over to his side.

"There's a lot of thing you don't know," Chad said mysteriously, leaning forward and saluting Ryan with his drink.

"There's an ancient martial art of hold 'em?" Joel joked, and Chad only wiggled his eyebrows in response. "Poker-jitsu," Chad replied. "And I'm a third-degree master."

"Maybe we should switch to Go Fish," Ryan told Carter. "I rock at that game."

"Bachelor boy gets to call it," Carter said, grabbing the cards and eating a pinch of Joel's peanuts. "Go Fish it is!"

"Excuse me while I go home and grab my son to play for me," Joel said and the guys laughed.

* * *

It was late when Carter returned home. They had closed down the bar til one a.m. and then Carter had driven Ryan home, promising to pick him up in the morning to take him out to the state park where he and Kelsey were having their ceremony. It would be a small affair, just the Mitchells, the Graysons, Kelsey and her mother and father, the Rawlings, and Chad and Rachel. Then, Kelsey and Ryan were getting on a plane for New Zealand for their honeymoon, headed to the adventure capital of Queenstown.

Carter eased the front door closed and kicked off his sneakers. Dana was home most of the time now, working half days at the hospital as her due date neared. He shuffled down the hallway in sock feet until he reached their bedroom. The door was cracked, and Dana was sound asleep on her side, one hand curled around her belly, the other stretched onto Carter's side of the bed.

Carter paused a moment at the door, not wanting to wake her up. Sleep was hard coming for his wife lately, as their little guy was apparently an insomniac. She looked beautiful. He smiled. This was his dream come true.

"Carter?" His thoughts were interrupted by his wife's sleepy mention of his name. He blinked and smiled at her, coming into the room as she eased herself up on her elbow. "Why were you standing there?" she asked him.

"I didn't want to wake you," he told her. "You looked so peaceful. Our son asleep?"

Dana started to say yes, then sighed and shook her head. "He was, until he heard Daddy's voice."

Carter leaned down. "Hey, you. Go back to bed and let Mommy get some sleep, huh?" He looked up at Dana and grinned. "Maybe he'll listen."

"I doubt it," Dana said. "Neither one of my boys listen."

"What'd you say?" Carter shot back as he shucked his jeans and t-shirt and leaned back on the bed in his boxers.

"Will my brother be sober tomorrow?"

"He'll be fine," Carter replied. "It was a pretty low-key night."

"Good. Because Kelsey would kill you if he missed their wedding."

"I know it," Carter said, turning sideways so he could kiss his wife. "Go back to sleep. I'm a little wired right now, I think I'll be up a bit."

"Okay," Dana replied sleepily. "I love you."

He poked her nose. "I love you, too." He put a hand on her stomach. "Good night, buddy," he told his son.

* * *

Dana woke up with a start. She looked at the clock on her nightstand. The green numbers blinked 4 a.m. She put a hand on her stomach, and her eyes widened. She reached over and shoved Carter, hard. "Carter. Get up. Get up now."

He mumbled something in his sleep, having gotten to bed finally only an hour earlier. "Carter!" Dana said, more insistent now.

His eyes snapped open. "What?" he asked. He looked at her in the dark.

"My water broke," Dana said. "We need to go to the hospital now."

Carter rolled out of bed, firefighting instincts taking over. He helped Dana into a boring t-shirt and sweats, and almost fell over climbing into his jeans. He grabbed the duffel bag with their hospital gear and slung it over his shoulder as he helped Dana to the living room and into her flip-flops. "It's raining," he told her, glancing outside through their living room window. "Hopefully it dries out before the wedding."

"The _wedding_!" Dana moaned. "Oh God, Kelsey's going to kill me!"

"No, she won't," Carter replied. "It will be fine. We'll make Joel get video."

"I'm going to miss my little brother's wedding!" Dana wailed

"Dana, you're bringing his nephew into the world. It'll be fine! Come on, honey, we gotta go." He grabbed the umbrella and held it for her as she climbed into the truck. What had seemed like a great family vehicle at the time now just seemed awkward as she struggled to get into it. But once she was in, Carter slammed the door and tossed their duffel in the backseat as he hopped in and started it. The Silverado roared to life and Carter flipped on the lights. He would call the Mitchells and his parents once they were at the hospital and Dana was admitted.

"You doin' okay over there?" he asked Dana as they waited at a stoplight.

She nodded. "Yeah, fine, I guess. _Ow!"_

"What?" Carter jerked, his foot hitting the gas as they rolled through the red light.

"Contraction," Dana hissed through her teeth. "Don't you dare run anymore lights, Carter Grayson, not in this weather. I will _not_ have Wilson and Grant taking me to the hospital."

"Sorry, sorry!" Carter apologized as he rounded the corner and pulled into the ER entrance at Mariner Bay General. He hit the hazard lights and helped Dana out of the truck and into the hospital. A startled nurse who'd been lulled by the steady rain, jumped sky high as Carter put a hand down on the desk. "My wife's in labor," he told her. "Is Dr. Keating on call?"

The nurse checked the duty roster and nodded. Carter turned to Dana. "I'm gonna go park the truck and I'll be back. I'll come find you."

"Don't be long," Dana told him as the nurse helped her into a wheelchair.

"I won't be late," Carter said. "I promise." He headed back into the pouring rain, one hand reaching for his cell phone as he did.

* * *

Ryan Mitchell was wide awake, staring at his bedroom ceiling. He'd gotten up about three a.m. and couldn't get back to sleep. His eyes drifted to the back of his bedroom door, where his dress shirt and tie hung on a peg. _I'm getting married today_ , he thought to himself. It didn't scare him. It didn't make him nervous. He was excited. When the rain had started around two, he'd started praying it dried out fast.

His cell phone rang next to him on the dresser, and he fumbled for it. "Hello?" he asked.

" _Hey, Ryan, it's Carter."_

"What's wrong?" Ryan asked instantly. "Is Dana okay?"

" _Dana's fine…but she is at the hospital. Her water broke about twenty minutes ago._ " Carter sounded calm, his firefighting skills covering the tension, Ryan decided.

"She's having the baby? _Now_?" Ryan asked his brother-in-law.

" _They're saying it could be in the next couple hours,"_ Carter responded. " _I wanted to call and tell you that you'll be short a couple guests this morning. I'm sorry."_

"Sorry, man, are you kidding me?" Ryan swung his legs out of bed and let them fall to the carpet. "That's my nephew that's about to make his grand appearance! Don't be sorry, Carter. It's fine. I'll tell Kelsey. Have you called my Dad?"

" _My next call,"_ Carter told him.

"Let me handle that one," Ryan said with a grin. "It'll be fun. You go be with your wife."

Carter hung up after Ryan made him swear to call when his nephew was in the world. Then, Ryan called his father. He knew his dad would probably just be getting up for the day.

" _Ryan?"_ Ryan forgot his dad had caller ID. " _Everything okay?"_

"Everything's fine, Dad," Ryan replied. "It's raining, I'm getting married this morning, and your first grandbaby is due any minute now."

There was a thud on the end of the phone, then silence. "Dad?" Ryan asked. " _Dad?"_

" _I'm fine. It's fine. Sorry about that. Dropped the phone._ "

Ryan burst out laughing.

* * *

"She's _what_?"

Ryan took Kelsey's chin his hand and tilted it so she was looking at him. "I said, Dana's in the hospital having the baby," he repeated.

Kelsey blinked a few times before shaking her head loose from his hand. "Oh, God," she said. "Well, neither one of them was any good for timing," she said with a smile. "No word yet?"

"Nothing," Ryan said. "I told Carter to interrupt us if something happened." He frowned. "Although if he calls during 'I do' I might kill him myself."

"Get in line," Kelsey replied. She smoothed the front of her white sundress. "Well, I guess we're down a couple witnesses then, huh?"

"Yeah," Ryan said. "On the plus side, that's two less people we have to wrangle for pictures." He waved at Angela, Joel and Anton as they came up to the group. Joel was wearing black dress pants and a white shirt with his bolo tie and Sky Cowboy hat. Angela looked amazing in a green sundress, and Anton was in a pair of small black dress pants and a green polo. "Hi Rawlings," Ryan greeted them. He frowned. "Rawlingses?"

"I prefer the Great and Powerful Joel and Family," Joel replied with a grin.

Angela rolled her eyes. "Hi yourself," Angela replied. She gave Kelsey a hug. "You look _so_ amazing," she gushed.

Kelsey beamed. "Thank you," she replied. "Can you help me with my hairpiece?" She held out a yellow flower with a clip.

"You bet," Angela said, and led the soon to be bride aside to play with her hair. Ryan had picked up Anton and was tickling the boy's stomach. "So, did you guys hear Dana's in labor?"

"No way!" Angela gasped. "Right now?"

"As we speak," Bill Mitchell said, joining them. He was practically glowing. "I'll get a daughter in law and a grandson all in one day. Carter just called. No change yet."

"If he calls during the vows we're sending it to voicemail," Ryan told them.

"Sounds fair," Bill replied. He nodded to Chad and Rachel as they came walking up. The two were matching- Chad in a blue button down and white pants, and Rachel in a sky blue skirt and white halter top.

"Hi everybody," Chad said. He glanced around. "Where're Carter and Dana?"

"At the hospital," Joel filled him in. "Baby Grayson is on his way."

"Really?" Chad shook his head. "She's a little early," he said. "Hope everything goes okay for them."

"She should be far enough along at this point that him being a little early should be just fine," Bill responded.

Rachel made her way over to the girls. "Hi ladies," she said. "Ready for today, Kels?"

Kelsey nodded. "I wanted to elope but Ryan thought our parents would get mad."

"He would've been right," a new voice said, and the three girls turned to see Kelsey's mother Anita and her father Peter coming toward them. Peter was tall with black hair and graying temples. Anita was Kelsey's height, with curly black hair and Kelsey's eyes. Although divorced with Peter living in Blue Bay Harbor, the two seemed to be on good terms this morning. Kelsey couldn't tell if it was just a good day or if the two of them were putting on a good front. Regardless, it was nice to see both of them smiling.

"Hi, Dad!" Kelsey said, giving her dad a hug. He returned it, and it took awhile for him to let go. Finally, Peter Winslow stepped back and smiled.

"You look beautiful in a dress," he told her. "I don't know if I've ever seen you in anything other than workout gear."

"Peter," Anita chided softly.

"That's not true," Kelsey shrugged with a smile. "You've seen me on the news in a Lightspeed Ranger suit."

He laughed. "You've got me there," he said. "Do your Mom and I need to be anywhere in particular for the ceremony?"

"There's seats reserved up front," Ryan said, joining them. "I'll walk you up there." He offered his arm to Mrs. Winslow and led the two of them up front.

Kelsey let out a breath as they walked away. "They're happy today," she told Rachel and Angela. "That's a good sign." She closed her eyes. "I'll take that good omen." Then she brightened. "Today's going to be a great day!"

* * *

Carter couldn't feel his hand. If he had looked at his fingers, he would see them turning a light shade of purple, but his attention was all focused on his beautiful wife as she worked on bringing their child into the world. He had seen her focused and calm in battle, able to take a blaster hit or a bolt of energy and not break a sweat.

Today was no different. Although Carter could say without a doubt that if their places were reversed he'd have begged to be put under, his wife was composed and focused.

"Good, Dana!" Dr. Keating praised from near her feet. "That was good!"

Dana moved Carter's hand from light purple to practically burgundy. "You got this," Carter whispered to her. "One more."

Dana's last cry of pain was drowned out by the sound of a baby's wail.

* * *

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride."

The audience applauded as Ryan picked Kelsey up and she threw her arms around his neck as they kissed for the first time as husband and wife. "Ladies and gentlemen, introducing Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Mitchell!"

Ryan kept Kelsey in his arms as he walked her back down the aisle and the chairs started to clear. As Bill stood up to go congratulate his son, he felt his phone buzzing in his breast pocket. He pulled it out to see two text messages.

_He's here._

_Six pounds, six ounces. All fingers and toes. See you when you get here._

His face broke into a wide grin. Bill ran up to Ryan and Kelsey, his phone clutched in his hand. "Congratulations, you two," he told them, hugging them both at the same time. "I hate to break up the moment, but Carter texted me. Baby Grayson is here."

"Yay!" Kelsey squealed, grabbing Ryan's hand. "Let's go to the hospital. Hey everybody!" Kelsey yelled to the group. "Baby Grayson is here! Pictures can wait!"

 _Now that's a true friend,_ Bill thought to himself as Kelsey rounded up everybody to head to the hospital.

* * *

He had Carter's eyes. As Dana held her son in her arms, she couldn't help but stare. Only a few hours old, she was pretty sure she hadn't stopped staring at him since they brought him back into the room after his initial check-up.

"Look at him, Carter," Dana said, turning to look up at her husband, who was sitting on the window ledge behind her. "He's perfect."

"Yeah he is," Carter replied, running a hand over his son's head. "I just got a text from the new Mrs. Mitchell-I think the entire wedding party is on its way here."

"Hear that, little guy?" Dana asked. "Your family is coming to meet you." She looked at Carter. "Do you think they'll be OK with the name we picked out for him?" It was a stupid worry-after all, it was _their_ child, but still. No sense in having the grandparents up in arms.

Carter smiled reassuringly. "I hope so," he said. "It's a little bit of both our families. I think it's perfect."

"Knock, knock," a voice said, and the Graysons looked up to see Carter's father, mother and brother standing in the hall. "Hi, guys," Lisa Grayson said. "You up for some company?"

"Sure," Dana said, "come on in." Tom, Lisa and David came into the room. Tom and Lisa came right up to the bed, but David hung back by the door.

"Hi, Uncle David," Dana told Carter's little brother. "Come meet your nephew."

"I'm good," David replied quickly. "I don't wanna break him."

"You won't break him," Carter replied, amused. "Come here." His brother came hesitantly up to them, and Dana sat up a little straighter on the bed. She patted an open spot near her feet and David sat down gingerly. "Pretend you're holding a football," Carter explained. "A little like how you'd hold it running down the field." Dana carefully placed their son is his uncle's arms. "Just like that," Carter said with a smile.

David looked down at the little person in his arms. "He's a lot smaller than a football," he told Carter, but he didn't take his eyes off his nephew.

"Hi you guys," Kelsey whispered from the doorway. She poked her head in, still in her dress, with Ryan right behind her. "Are we interrupting?"

"No," Carter said. "Congrats, Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell. Sorry we missed your big day," he told them.

"You were having one of your own," Kelsey replied. "Congratulations yourselves."

"Thanks," Dana said. Kelsey gave her best friend a hug. "He's amazing, Dana," Kelsey said, looking at the small baby in David's arms. She looked at Carter. "You did good, Daddy."

 _Daddy_. Carter's heart melted a little. It was the first time he'd heard that word as it applied to him...and he loved the way it sounded.

"Do you have room for a few more?" Chad asked, sticking is head in the room. "Dr. Keating said it's OK if we all come in for a bit, as long as we keep the noise level down."

"I'm pretty sure that's because you all saved the city," Rachel added as she came in behind him. "When my sister had her baby and all six of us siblings wanted to come in to see her, they made us come in one at a time."

"Gotta love the perks," Joel said, ushering Angela and Anton in ahead of him.

"As long as you don't overuse them," Bill said as he came in and threaded his way through the masses. "Step aside, Grandpa coming through." He kissed his daughter on the forehead. "Congratulations, honey. He's beautiful."

"Thanks, Dad," Dana said. She beamed at him. "Do you want to hold him?"

"If David doesn't mind," Bill said, reaching to take the baby boy from the teenager's arms. David awkwardly handed him off to Bill, and Bill cuddled him like a pro.

"We'll have to set a time limit," Tom Grayson kidded. "Five minutes each."

"Hear that, Grandpa?" Ryan teased his father. "Clock's ticking." He laced his finger with Kelsey's.

"Don't you start with me _Uncle_ Ryan," Bill told his son. Bill looked down at his grandson. "What did you decide on for a name for him?" he asked Dana and Carter.

As if he'd announced they were pregnant again, the whole room fell silent.

Dana and Carter exchanged glances. "Well," Carter began, "we wanted to make sure it was special and that it had meaning for both our families."

"So it's not Joel Grayson?" Chad teased, nudging Joel with his elbow.

"I'm okay with that," Joel said, surprisingly serious. He pulled his wife and son closer.

"We decided to use Carter's middle name and my mom's maiden name," Dana said. "It's a little unusual and he'll have to explain it every time when he gets older," she added, "but it's a legacy."

"He's got quite the legacy to live up to, with all of you," Laura Grayson said, gesturing around the room. "It'll be a story he won't mind telling."

"And he's got a big family to remind him of it," Bill added, looking around the room. He fought tears from his eyes as his eyes went around to all the faces. From the newly-minted Ryan and Kelsey Mitchell to Chad Lee and Rachel Simon, to Joel, Angela and Anton Rawlings….across to Tom, Laura and David Grayson, and finally, to Dana and Carter Grayson and the little boy in his arms.

"I believe there's great things in store for you, Troy Burrows Grayson," he told his grandson.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes.  
> *That* Troy Burrows.  
> Do the timelines 100% match? Nope, but that's why it's fanfiction. Look out for the monster sequel to this story titled, "Legendary Legacy."


End file.
